Kyle Walters - Self-regulation and Substance Use

Self control is thought to be closely associated with the ability to abstain or regulate substance use and is just one aspect of self-regulation, or the ability to organize behavior toward a goal. Many have suggested that self-regulation is damaged in those with chronic patterns of harmful substance use. However, it has also been noted that substance use itself is a highly goal directed behavior and requires self-regulation. Kyle Walters discusses his work on the interaction between self-regulation and the environment and suggests that this relationship may not be as simple as we once thought. Kyle also briefly discusses his forays into Network Analysis as an alternative approach to traditional conceptualizations of psychopathology.  Kyle Walters is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Psychology at the University of South Dakota.