Humility predicts resistance to substance use: A self-control perspective

Past research indicates that humility predicts enhanced self-control. In the present research, two event-sampling studies and a longitudinal study were conducted to test the hypothesis that humility facilitates the capacity in resisting substance consumption. Undergraduates rated their alcohol and tobacco dependence every three days across either four sessions (Study 1) or six sessions (Study 2). Humility was reported across four time-points in Study 1, and measured at the first session in Study 2. In Study 3, data from inmates in a prison facility for drug offenders were collected across three time-points over 8 months, including data for humility and emotion regulation strategies at the first and second time-points. Information on whether they experienced a relapse was coded at the third time-point, which was six months after they were released. Across three studies, humility predicted greater resistance against substance use. In Study 3, we found that cognitive reappraisal mediated this relationship.