Time Unpacking Effect on Intertemporal Decision-Making: Does the Effect Change With Choice Valence?

Quan Yang; Xianmin Gong; Jinli Xiong; Shufei Yin; Shufei Yin; Shufei Yin

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.666329

Frontiers in Psychology (May 2021)

Time Unpacking Effect on Intertemporal Decision-Making: Does the Effect Change With Choice Valence?

Quan Yang,
Xianmin Gong,
Jinli Xiong,
Shufei Yin,
Shufei Yin,
Shufei Yin

Affiliations

Quan Yang: Department of Psychology, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
Xianmin Gong: Big Data Decision Analytics Research Centre, Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Jinli Xiong: Department of Psychology, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
Shufei Yin: Department of Psychology, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
Shufei Yin: CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Shufei Yin: Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.666329
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 12

Abstract

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People often feel that a period of time becomes longer when it is described in more detail or cut into more segments, which is known as the time unpacking effect. The current study aims to unveil how time unpacking manipulation impacts intertemporal decision making and whether the gain-loss valence of choices moderates such impacts. We recruited 87 college students (54 female) and randomly assigned them to the experimental conditions to complete a series of intertemporal choice tasks. The subjective values of the delayed choices were calculated for each participant and then analyzed. The results showed that participants perceived longer time delays and higher subjective values on the delayed gains (but not losses) in the time unpacking conditions than in the time packing conditions. These results suggest that time unpacking manipulation not only impacts time perception but also other factors, which in turn, influence the valuation of delayed outcomes and thereby intertemporal choices. The results are discussed in comparison to previous studies to highlight the complexity of the mechanism underlying the effect of time unpacking on intertemporal decision making.

Published in Frontiers in Psychology

ISSN: 1664-1078 (Online)
Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Philosophy. Psychology. Religion: Psychology
Website: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology

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