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Self-Control as an Executive Function

Reformulating Gottfredson and Hirschi's Parental Socialization Thesis

Florida State University, kbeaver{at}mailer.fsu.edu

John Paul Wright

University of Cincinnati

Matt Delisi

Iowa State University

According to Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990), levels of self-control are determined by parental management techniques, not by biological and genetic influences. Recent behavioral genetic and neuroscientific research challenges this view and reveals that biogenic factors are largely responsible for the development of self-control. The current article builds off this body of literature and argues that Gottfredson and Hirschi's parental socialization thesis should be reformulated to recognize that self-control is just one part of a larger constellation of executive functions that are modulated by the prefrontal cortex of the brain. Using a sample of about 3,000 children, this reformulated thesis was tested by examining whether neuropsychological deficits are predictive of parental and teacher reports of the child's level of self-control. Results revealed that measures of neuropsychological deficits were associated with variability in childhood self-control. Theoretical implications of the findings are discussed.

Key Words: biology • brain • executive functions • genetics • low self-control • parents

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