Final answer:
The general theory assumes that self-regulation, or willpower, is essential for goal attainment and delaying gratification. The capacity for self-control is influenced by various factors, including internal attributions, societal bonds, and even parental influence on behavior, as seen in different sociopsychological theories.
Step-by-step explanation:
The general theory regarding self-control assumes that it is a form of self-regulation, which is the process through which individuals use both internal and external feedback to attain goals. This concept, also known as willpower, is critical in the ability to delay gratification. For instance, in Mischel's marshmallow test, children's capacity to resist an immediate reward for a larger one later on was studied as a measure of their self-control.
In terms of social psychology and personality, the idea of self-control intertwines with other theories such as the self-serving bias, which includes attributions related to locus of control, stability, and controllability of situations and behaviors. Furthermore, concepts like attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief as proposed by Travis Hirschi in control theory have implications for self-control within a societal context.
Another aspect of self-control can be seen in Sutherland's theory of differential association, suggesting that external factors like parental influence can have a significant role in shaping behaviors, including the propensity for self-control.