问题启动对跨时选择的影响研究

The Effect of Question Priming on Intertemporal Choice

本研究采用2×3混合实验设计,通过控制时间距离和表征的建构水平,对不同问题启动下的跨时选择进行对比研究。实验结果显示,问题启动是影响跨时选择的重要因素,不同问题启动下的未来结果价值折扣存在显著差异。Why问题启动使个体的时间距离敏感度降低,How问题启动使个体的时间距离敏感度提高。

Intertemporal choice is a decision involving tradeoff among costs and benefits occurring at different times.Some studies on intertemporal choice showed no constant discount rate and inconsistency of time preferences which result in some problems,such as regret,self-defeating behaviors,forming serious obstacles to the following plan of an action.Thus,it is necessary to find an effective method to influence intertemporal choice and overcome inconsistent preferences.The present study aimed to explore the influence of question priming on intertemporal choice on the basis of the construal level theory.The hypothesis was that considering questions of＂why＇s＂led to low discount rates and considering questions of＂how＇s＂to high discount rates.The study adopted a 2（temporal distance）×3（question priming：why,how,neutral） mixed factor design to compare the difference of discount rates in intertemporal choices primed by different question modes through manipulating the temporal distance and construal level of representation.One hundred and twenty undergraduates（aged between 19 and 22） took part in the experiment and were randomly divided into three groups.Three groups were separately primed to use different level construals by generating answers as to questions of＂how＇s＂or questions of＂why＇s＂or neutral questions.Then the participants finished two series of choices between two hypothetical monetary rewards,one available sooner and another one,larger,available later.The amount of later reward was 100 yuan and the sooner reward was adjusted to determine how much the later reward was worth in yuan available sooner depending on the participants＇ choices.The temporal distance between sooner reward and later reward were 7 days or 90 days.Temporal discount rates were available through the hyperbolic discount function and were analyzed.The results confirmed our hypothesis.ANOVA revealed that the effects of question priming and temporal distance.Compared with the controlled group,the group primed by the＂why＂questions had lower discount rates while the group primed by the＂how＂questions had higher discount rates.The discount rates of 7 days were higher than those of 90 days in the three groups.The results indicated that question priming had a great influence on intertemporal choice which was similar to temporal distance and was one effective means to modulate time preference.The activation of high-level construals reduced the sensitivity to the temporal distance and caused low discount rates,while the activation of low-level construals the sensitivity to the temporal distance and resulted in high discount rates.