Data for: Ego Depletion Decreases Risk-Taking on the Columbia Card Task: The Moderating Role of Task Features

Previous exertions of self-control can affect subsequent risk preferences usually resulting in risk-seeking tendencies. A few studies, however, have found that reductions in self-control resources (i.e., “ego depletion”) can decrease risk-taking resulting in relative risk-aversion compared to non-depleted controls. Using the Columbia Card Task (CCT), we found that the ego depleted risked less than their non-depleted counterparts when task features promoted feelings of perceived control. Manipulations aimed at reducing perceived control eliminated this depletion effect and descriptively reversed the trend so that the ego depleted were risking more than the controls. We replicated the observed decrease in risk-taking among depleted individuals and showed that the results were not due to depletion increasing passivity or task disengagement. Data and syntax files are attached. For more information regarding these data sets, please contact Ryan Corser, [e-mail]