Preference for Immediate Events: Choices between Immediate and Delayed Drinks of Quinine Sulfate Solution or Tap Water

Abstract

When faced with inevitable mild electric shock to the wrist, most people prefer to “get it over with” immediately. The present experiment tested the generality of this preference by asking 60 college students to choose between immediate and delayed drinks of a bitter tasting quinine sulfate solution. The immediate bitter drink was chosen over an equally bitter, delayed drink on 88% of the trials. A control condition using tap water was also tested. Immediate tap water was chosen over delayed tap water on 84% of the trials. This is the first known study in which a nonaversive control has been used and suggests that the preference people have for immediate aversive events may be part of a larger preference for immediate events (positive, neutral, or aversive in hedonic tone).

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