Emotional distress regulation takes precedence over impulse control: If you feel bad, do it!

Why do people's impulse controls break down during emotional distress? Some theories propose that distress impairs one's motivation or one's ability t o exert self-control, and some postulate self-destructive intentions arisin g from the moods. Contrary to those theories, Three experiments found that believing that one's bad mood was frozen (unchangeable) eliminated the tend ency to eat fattening snacks (Experiment 1), seek immediate gratification ( Experiment 2), and engage in frivolous procrastination (Experiment 3). The implication is that when people are upset, they indulge immediate impulses to make themselves feel better, which amounts to giving short-term affect r egulation priority over other self-regulatory goals.