DEFINITION:
The phrase “self-regulation” refers to the personality trait of being highly capable of exercising general self-control, as well as of monitoring one’s own performance according to specified criteria.
ETYMOLOGY:
The English word “self-regulation” is attested from the second quarter of the nineteenth century.
For the etymology of the English prefix “self-,” see the Glossary entry, core self-evaluation.
The English noun “regulation” is attested from the seventeenth century. It is connected to the verb “to regulate,” which derives from the Late Latin past participle regulatus of the verb regulo, regulare. The verb regulo derives, in turn, from the Classical Latin noun rēgula, rēgulae, meaning a “straight length” or a “ruler.”
DISCUSSION:
“Self-regulation” may be used in a broader and a narrower sense.
In the broader sense, the term “self-regulation” refers to a general ability to exert appropriate control over one’s own behavior.
In this sense, self-control is an aspect of inhibitory control, which is a core executive function in the physiological sense.
In the narrower sense, “self-regulation” indicates the ability of monitoring one’s own behavior to assure that it is in accordance with the relevant norms.
In both senses, “self-regulation” is a major component of motivation, which is essential for job success.
However, care must be taken in ascribing the trait of “self-regulation” because the way in which it is manifested in people’s lives may vary widely depending upon circumstances.