The common-sense model of self-regulation of health and illness.

The past decade has been witness to an unprecedented growth in research on self-regulation. For example, of the 2,700-plus chapters, dissertations, and journal articles containing the keyword ‘self-regulation’ archived in PsychINFO, a well-used social science citation index, over 1,800 have been published since 1990 alone. It is not entirely clear whether this trend is due to a shift in the Zeitgeist or a change in semantics. Though we suspect that both are involved, the Zeitgeist in Western, industrialized nations is the likely driving force. The focus on the consumer, individual choice, and populist movements that emphasize individual and community empowerment create a context congenial to self-regulation…