Reyna Valerie F, Wilhelms Evan A
Human Neuroscience Institute, Department of Human Development, Center for Behavioral Economics and Decision Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
Psychology Department, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA.
J Behav Decis Mak. 2017 Apr;30(2):610-625. doi: 10.1002/bdm.1977. Epub 2016 Aug 10.
Delay of gratification captures elements of temptation and self-denial that characterize real-life problems with money and other problem behaviors such as unhealthy risk taking. According to fuzzy-trace theory, decision makers mentally represent social values such as delay of gratification in a coarse but meaningful form of memory called "gist." Applying this theory, we developed a gist measure of delay of gratification that does not involve quantitative trade-offs (as delay discounting does) and hypothesize that this construct explains unique variance beyond sensation seeking and inhibition in accounting for problem behaviors. Across four studies, we examine this Delay-of-gratification Gist Scale by using principal components analyses and evaluating convergent and divergent validity with other potentially related scales such as Future Orientation, Propensity to Plan, Time Perspectives Inventory, Spendthrift-Tightwad, Sensation Seeking, Cognitive Reflection, Barratt Impulsiveness, and the Monetary Choice Questionnaire (delay discounting). The new 12-item measure captured a single dimension of delay of gratification, correlated as predicted with other scales, but accounted for unique variance in predicting such outcomes as overdrawing bank accounts, substance abuse, and overall subjective well-being. Results support a theoretical distinction between reward-related approach motivation, including sensation seeking, and inhibitory faculties, including cognitive reflection. However, individuals' agreement with the qualitative gist of delay of gratification, as expressed in many cultural traditions, could not be reduced to such dualist distinctions nor to quantitative conceptions of delay discounting, shedding light on mechanisms of self-control and risk taking.
延迟满足包含了诱惑和自我克制的因素，这些因素是现实生活中与金钱相关的问题以及其他问题行为（如不健康的冒险行为）的特征。根据模糊痕迹理论，决策者以一种粗略但有意义的记忆形式（称为“要点”）在心理上表征诸如延迟满足等社会价值观。应用这一理论，我们开发了一种不涉及定量权衡（如延迟折扣那样）的延迟满足要点测量方法，并假设这一构念在解释问题行为时，除了能解释寻求刺激和抑制之外，还能解释独特的方差。在四项研究中，我们通过主成分分析来检验这种延迟满足要点量表，并与其他潜在相关量表（如未来取向、计划倾向、时间视角问卷、挥霍-吝啬、寻求刺激、认知反思、巴拉特冲动性和货币选择问卷（延迟折扣））评估聚合效度和区分效度。这个新的12项测量方法捕捉到了延迟满足的一个单一维度，与其他量表的相关性如预期的那样，但在预测诸如银行账户透支、药物滥用和总体主观幸福感等结果时，它解释了独特的方差。结果支持了与奖励相关的趋近动机（包括寻求刺激）和抑制能力（包括认知反思）之间的理论区分。然而，个体对延迟满足定性要点的认同（正如许多文化传统中所表达的那样），既不能简化为这种二元区分，也不能简化为延迟折扣的定量概念，这为自我控制和冒险行为的机制提供了启示。
