Abstract:

With the "happiness" gradually got more and more attention from the academic research, based on the self-control theory, we investigated the relationship between trait self-control, overcontrol and the subjective well-being, and explored the effect of self-control behavior on objective happiness, as well as the moderating effects of goal realization and locus of control. Through two surveys, we found that trait self-control has a significant positive impact on subjective well-being, while overcontrol is negatively related with subjective well-being. Moreover, we conducted four experiments and the results showed that the self-control behavior has a significant negative impact on objective happiness and the goal realization and locus of control both have significant moderating effect on the relationship between self-control behavior and objective happiness. When the related goal was not realized, the self-control behavior’s negative effect on objective happiness is significant. But when the related goal was realized, the effect disappeared. In addition, for consumers believing external control, self-control behavior has significant negative impact on objective happiness regardless whether the goal was realized, while for consumers believing internal control, self-control behavior has significant positive impact on objective happiness, in which guilt plays a significant mediating role