IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/plo/pone00/0177240.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Impact of construal level manipulations on delay discounting

Author

Listed:
  • Richard Yi
  • Allison Stuppy-Sullivan
  • Alison Pickover
  • Reid D Landes

Abstract

Construal Level Theory states that psychologically proximal outcomes are construed concretely while psychologically distal outcomes are construed abstractly. Previous research suggests that the principles of Construal Level Theory can be applied to enhance self-control, as measured by delay discounting. The present studies replicate and expand on this work by examining whether theory-informed priming manipulations lead to delay discounting reductions in a repeated-measures design. Study 1 conceptually replicated previous work, with reduced delay discounting observed as a function of thinking abstractly. Studies 2 and 3 expanded on this work by reinterpreting (a) preference for immediate outcomes as preference for outcomes that are construed concretely, and (b) dispreference for delayed outcomes as dispreference for outcomes that are construed abstractly. Study 2 provided support for the first interpretation, as reduced delay discounting was observed as a function of thinking concretely about the future. Study 3 provided support for the second interpretation, as reduced delay discounting was observed as a function of thinking abstractly about the present. In studies 1 and 3, significant condition × order interactions were observed. In all three studies, the same impact of order of exposure to priming manipulation was observed, indicating specific carryover effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard Yi & Allison Stuppy-Sullivan & Alison Pickover & Reid D Landes, 2017. "Impact of construal level manipulations on delay discounting," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(5), pages 1-18, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0177240
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177240
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0177240
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0177240&type=printable
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1371/journal.pone.0177240?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Harrell Chesson & Jami Leichliter & Gregory Zimet & Susan Rosenthal & David Bernstein & Kenneth Fife, 2006. "Discount rates and risky sexual behaviors among teenagers and young adults," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 32(3), pages 217-230, May.
    2. Malkoc, Selin A. & Zauberman, Gal & Bettman, James R., 2010. "Unstuck from the concrete: Carryover effects of abstract mindsets in intertemporal preferences," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 113(2), pages 112-126, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kai Barron & Luis F. Gamboa & Paul Rodríguez-Lesmes, 2019. "Behavioural Response to a Sudden Health Risk: Dengue and Educational Outcomes in Colombia," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(4), pages 620-644, April.
    2. Bénédicte Apouey, 2019. "Présentation de l'enquête Bien vieillir Harmonie Mutuelle," Working Papers halshs-02319136, HAL.
    3. John S.M Gustavsson, 2017. "The Marginal Cost of Transparency: Do honest nudges work?," Economics Department Working Paper Series n289-17.pdf, Department of Economics, National University of Ireland - Maynooth.
    4. Preuss, Malte, 2021. "Intra-individual stability of two survey measures on forward-looking attitude," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 201-227.
    5. W. David Bradford & Meriem Hodge Doucette, 2023. "Effect of a brief intervention on respondents’ subjective perception of time and discount rates," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 66(1), pages 47-75, February.
    6. Campos-Mercade, Pol & Meier, Armando N. & Schneider, Florian H. & Wengström, Erik, 2021. "Prosociality predicts health behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    7. Lena Janys & Bettina Siflinger, 2021. "Mental Health and Abortions among Young Women: Time-Varying Unobserved Heterogeneity, Health Behaviors, and Risky Decisions," ECONtribute Discussion Papers Series 083, University of Bonn and University of Cologne, Germany.
    8. Bénédicte Apouey, 2019. "Intérêt des adhérents d'une mutuelle pour des services utilisant leurs données personnelles dans le cadre de la médecine personnalisée," PSE Working Papers halshs-02295392, HAL.
    9. Joanna Rudzinska-Wojciechowska, 2017. "If you want to save, focus on the forest rather than on trees. The effects of shifts in levels of construal on saving decisions," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(5), pages 1-18, May.
    10. Lydia Lawless & Andreas Drichoutis & Rodolfo Nayga, 2013. "Time preferences and health behaviour: a review," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 1(1), pages 1-19, December.
    11. Judith Lammers & Sweder van Wijnbergen, 2007. "HIV/AIDS, Risk Aversion and Intertemporal Choice," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 07-098/1, Tinbergen Institute, revised 31 Jan 2008.
    12. Stacie F. Waites & Adam Farmer & Carol L. Esmark Jones, 2021. "Building toward a solid foundation: The effect of thinking concretely about the future," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(1), pages 254-273, March.
    13. Bénédicte Apouey, 2018. "Les attentes en termes de services pour les seniors : le rôle de l’altruisme et de l’anticipation de la dépendance," Revue française d'économie, Presses de Sciences-Po, vol. 0(2), pages 15-74.
    14. Laura Victoria Urrego Ospina & Deici Alejandra Giraldo Hurtado, 2022. "The effect of crime on adolescent fertility in Colombia," Revista Desarrollo y Sociedad, Universidad de los Andes,Facultad de Economía, CEDE, vol. 90(2), pages 43-76, February.
    15. Arabsheibani, Reza & Staneva, Anita, 2012. "Returns to Education in Russia: Where There Is Risky Sexual Behaviour There Is Also an Instrument," IZA Discussion Papers 6726, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    16. Lammers, J. & van de Kuilen, G., 2007. "The HIV Anticaptory Saving Motive : An Empirical Analysis in South Africa," Discussion Paper 2007-51, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    17. Tatiana Kossova & Elena Kossova & Maria Sheluntcova, 2014. "Estimating the Relationship Between Rate of Time Preferences And Socio-Economic Factors In Russia," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(1), pages 39-68.
    18. Lieberman, Alicea & Amir, On & Carmon, Ziv, 2023. "The entrenchment effect: Why people persist with less-preferred behaviors," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    19. Vasilios Kosteas, 2015. "Physical activity and time preference," International Journal of Health Economics and Management, Springer, vol. 15(4), pages 361-386, December.
    20. Nathan W. Mecham & Melissa F. Lewis-Western & David A. Wood, 2021. "The Effects of Pornography on Unethical Behavior in Business," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 168(1), pages 37-54, January.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0177240. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: plosone (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.