Outsourcing Self-Regulation 1 Running Head: OUTSOURCING SELF-REGULATION Outsourcing Self-Regulatory Effort to Significant Others

Three studies demonstrate a novel phenomenon—self-regulatory outsourcing—in which thinking about how others can be instrumental (i.e., helpful) for a given goal undermines motivation to expend effort on that goal. In Experiment 1, participants who thought about how their partner helped them with health goals (vs. career goals) planned to spend less time and effort on health goals in the upcoming week. This pattern was stronger for depleted participants. In Experiment 2, participants who thought about how their partner helped them with academic achievement goals procrastinated more, leaving less time for an academic task, than did participants in two control conditions. This pattern was stronger for participants told that procrastinating would drain their resources for the academic task. In Experiment 3, participants who decreased effort after thinking of an instrumental other (vs. control) reported greater relationship commitment. The possibility for shared or transactive self-regulation is discussed. Abstract Word Count: 147