O'Donnell Sara, Daniel Tinuke Oluyomi, Koroschetz Jordynn, Kilanowski Colleen, Otminski Aris, Bickel Warren K, Epstein Leonard H
Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States.
Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, Roanoke, Virginia, United States.
J Behav Decis Mak. 2019 Jul;32(3):231-240. doi: 10.1002/bdm.2108. Epub 2018 Oct 31.
Two studies examined whether episodic future thinking (EFT; pre-experiencing future events) reduces discounting of future rewards (DD). No studies have investigated whether process simulations (i.e., simulating the process of executing a future event) amplify EFT's reduction of DD. Study 1 examined the effect of incorporating process simulations into EFT ( = 42, = 43.27; 91% female, family income = $75,976) using a 2 × 2 factorial design with type of episodic thinking (process, nonprocess/general) and temporal perspective (EFT, episodic recent thinking) as between-subjects factors. Study 2 replicated Study 1 in a sample of adults living in poverty ( = 36; = 38.44, 88% female; family income = $25,625). The results of both studies showed EFT reduced DD, but process-oriented EFT did not amplify the effect of EFT. Our findings suggest the key ingredient in EFT's effect on DD is self-projection into the future. This was also the first study to show EFT improves DD in a sample living in poverty.
两项研究考察了情景式未来思维（EFT；预先体验未来事件）是否会减少对未来奖励的折扣（DD）。尚无研究探讨过程模拟（即模拟执行未来事件的过程）是否会增强EFT对DD的减少作用。研究1采用2×2析因设计，以情景式思维类型（过程、非过程/一般）和时间视角（EFT、情景式近期思维）作为组间因素，考察了将过程模拟纳入EFT的效果（n = 42，M = 43.27；91%为女性，家庭收入 = 75,976美元）。研究2在贫困成年人样本中重复了研究1（n = 36；M = 38.44，88%为女性；家庭收入 = 25,625美元）。两项研究的结果均显示EFT减少了DD，但以过程为导向的EFT并未增强EFT的效果。我们的研究结果表明，EFT对DD产生影响的关键因素是自我投射到未来。这也是第一项表明EFT在贫困样本中改善DD的研究。
