Effects On Satisfaction Of Basic Psychological Need In Ego-depletion

Energy, as the new research field in more than a decade, is a kind of cognitive resource depending on which self gives play to executive function and an energy experience that individual can subjectively feel both physically and mentally. The theoretical and empirical research mainly includes the Self-Regulatory Strength Model and energy views of Self-Determination Theory. This research tries to integrate these two theories, with experimental paradigm in the Self-Regulatory Strength Model, goes on experimental study by adding three basic psychological needs that can enhance energy emphasized in the self-determination theory during the process of self-regulatory. This research discusses whether the phenomenon of ego-depletion exists and whether it can overcome the adverse impact of self-depletion effect to satisfy basic psychological needs.There are four experiments in the research. In the first experiment, 50 undergraduates were chosen as the participants and the experimental study of dual-task paradigm was made. It gained the conclusion that ego-depletion really exists. In the second and third experiment, 80 participants were chosen separately and the experimental design with 2×2 between-person levels of analysis was made. With different experimental conditions, it satisfied the need of participants'autonomy and competence and examined whether there is diversity on the subjects whose basic psychological needs were satisfied or unsatisfied as they display in the second self-regulatory task of dual-task paradigm. In the fourth experiment, 120 participants were chosen to measure their need of school relatedness. 27% participants separately with the highest and the lowest score were chosen to be the participants as strong and weak feel of relatedness group. And the diversity between the two groups that showed in the second self-regulatory task of dual-task paradigm was compared then. The following was the result after the results were analyzed and discussed.Ego-depletion effect really existed in self-regulatory activities.1. The adverse impact can be overcome as individual need of autonomy was satisfied.2. The adverse impact can be overcome as individual need of competence was satisfied.3. Ego-depletion appeared less in the individuals of strong feel of relatedness than weak feel of relatedness in self-regulatory activities.