Implicit/Explicit Motive Discrepancies and Volitional Depletion among Managers

The compensatory model of motivation and volition is based on the assumption that discrepancies between implicit and explicit motives lead to psychological conflict, and that resolution of this conflict requires volitional regulation and consumes volitional strength. This suggests that implicit/explicit motive discrepancies (IED) are responsible for decreases in volitional strength. A longitudinal field study with 82 managers was conducted to test this proposition. Results show that IED longitudinally predicted decreases in volitional strength. Furthermore, structural equation modeling revealed that volitional strength mediated the relation between IED and impaired subjective well-being. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed, particularly with respect to volitional depletion.