NCJ Number
145284
Journal
Journal of Quantitative Criminology Volume: 9 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1993) Pages: 225-247
Date Published
1993
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This study investigated the effect of low self-control on the imprudent behaviors of smoking, drinking, and gambling.
Abstract
The researchers tested Gottfredson and Hirschi's theory that individual differences in criminal and imprudent behavior are due largely to individual differences in the personality trait they call low self-control. Data for the research were obtained from a 1991 survey of a large southwestern city with a population of approximately 400,000. A simple random sample of adults (18 and older) was drawn from the R.L. Polk Directory for the city. When the target size of 394 respondents was achieved, the sample was compared to the 1990 Census. The scale that measured low self-control addressed the six essential elements that compose low self-control. They are impulsivity, a preference for simple tasks, risk-seeking, a preference for physical compared to mental activity, self-centeredness, and minimal tolerance for frustration. Subjects also responded to questions about their imprudent behaviors. The findings are mixed. In support of the theory, the data show a modest but significant effect of a scale designed to capture the various components of low self-control on an index of imprudent behavior. A more detailed analysis, however, reveals that some of the components of low self-control, particularly those linked to low intelligence, detract from the scale's predictive power. One component, risk-seeking, is more predictive than the more inclusive scale. Findings also indicate that smoking is apparently unaffected by low self-control. These contradictory findings suggest the need for theoretical refinements. 4 tables and 42 references