Qu Weiguo, Yang Ying, Zhou Mengjie, Fan Wei
Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.
Department of Psychology, School of Education Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.
Front Psychol. 2024 Feb 9;14:1324146. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1324146. eCollection 2023.
Individuals frequently encounter dilemmas in which they must choose between smaller, immediate gains and larger, delayed rewards; this phenomenon is known as intertemporal choice. The present study analyzed the interplay of trait and state self-control and time perception tendencies (time overestimation vs. time underestimation) and how it influences the rates of selecting immediate options in both gain and loss situations by conducting an intertemporal choice task. Experiment 1 was used to explore the impact of trait self-control and time perception on intertemporal choices within gain and loss situations. In Experiment 2, the e-crossing task was used to induce self-control resource depletion in participants and to investigate the impact of self-control resources and time perception on intertemporal choices in gain and loss situations. The results indicate that (1) compared with the high-self-control group, the low-self-control group exhibited a greater tendency to choose immediate options. Additionally, the high time estimation group was more likely to opt for immediate choices than the low time estimation group was. Furthermore, participants were more likely to select immediate options in the loss situation than in the gain situation. (2) In the gain situation, the high time estimation group was more likely to choose immediate options than was the low time estimation group. However, in the loss situation, the difference between the two groups was nonsignificant. (3) Time perception and gain-loss situations exerted a moderating mediating effect on the impact of self-control resources on intertemporal choices. These findings shed light on the influence of both self-control abilities and self-control resources on intertemporal choices. They provide valuable insights into intertemporal decision behaviors across diverse contexts and indicate the need for rational analysis based on one's current state to mitigate cognitive biases to ensure individuals can maximize benefits in their daily lives.
人们经常会遇到两难困境，即必须在较小的即时收益和较大的延迟奖励之间做出选择；这种现象被称为跨期选择。本研究通过进行一项跨期选择任务，分析了特质和状态自我控制与时间感知倾向（时间高估与时间低估）之间的相互作用，以及它如何影响在收益和损失情境中选择即时选项的比率。实验1用于探索特质自我控制和时间感知对收益和损失情境中跨期选择的影响。在实验2中，使用电子穿越任务诱导参与者的自我控制资源耗竭，并研究自我控制资源和时间感知对收益和损失情境中跨期选择的影响。结果表明：（1）与高自我控制组相比，低自我控制组表现出更大的选择即时选项的倾向。此外，高时间估计组比低时间估计组更有可能选择即时选项。而且，参与者在损失情境中比在收益情境中更有可能选择即时选项。（2）在收益情境中，高时间估计组比低时间估计组更有可能选择即时选项。然而，在损失情境中，两组之间的差异不显著。（3）时间感知和收益-损失情境对自我控制资源对跨期选择的影响具有调节中介作用。这些发现揭示了自我控制能力和自我控制资源对跨期选择的影响。它们为不同情境下的跨期决策行为提供了有价值的见解，并表明需要根据个人当前状态进行理性分析，以减轻认知偏差确保个体在日常生活中能够最大化收益。
