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The Vivid Present: Visualization Abilities Are Associated with Steep Discounting of Future Rewards

Trishala Parthasarathi · Mairead H. McConnell · Jeffrey Luery · Joseph W. Kable

59 citations0/0 files storedFrontiers in Psychology

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Decision-Making and Behavioral Economics Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies Psychological and Temporal Perspectives Research

Abstract

Humans and other animals discount the value of future rewards, a phenomenon known as delay discounting. Individuals vary widely in the extent to which they discount future rewards, and these tendencies have been associated with important life outcomes. Recent studies have demonstrated that imagining the future reduces subsequent discounting behavior, but no research to date has examined whether a similar principle applies at the trait level, and whether training visualization changes discounting. The current study examined if individual differences in visualization abilities are linked to individual differences in discounting and whether practicing visualization can change discounting behaviors in a lasting way. Participants (n = 48) completed the Visualization of Vivid Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ) and delay discounting task and then underwent a four-week intervention consisting of visualization training (intervention) or relaxation training (control). Contrary to our hypotheses, participants who reported greater visualization abilities (lower scores) on the VVIQ were higher discounters. To further examine this relationship, an additional 106 participants completed the VVIQ and delay discounting task. In the total sample (n= 154), there was a significant negative correlation between VVIQ scores and discount rates, showing that individuals who are better visualizers are also higher discounters. Consistent with this relationship but again to our surprise, visualization training tended, albeit weakly, to increase discount rates, and those whose VVIQ decreased the most were those whose discount rates increased the most. These results suggest a novel association between visualization abilities and delay discounting.

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2023Mental Imagery 2021Individual Differences in Intertemporal Choice 2020Commentary: Episodic Future Thinking about the Ideal Self Induces Lower Discounting, Leading to a Decreased Tendency toward Cheating 2020The effect of episodic future thinking on delay discounting 2024Future and past episodic cues reduce temporal discounting and increase control allocation during inter-temporal choice

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