A big data analysis of the relationship between future thinking and decision-making.

ABSTRACT: We use big data methods to investigate how decision-making might depend on future sightedness (that is, on how far into the future people's thoughts about the future extend). In study 1, we establish a link between future thinking and decision-making at the population level in showing that US states with citizens having relatively far future sightedness, as reflected in their tweets, take fewer risks than citizens in states having relatively near future sightedness. In study 2, we analyze people's tweets to confirm a connection between future sightedness and decision-making at the individual level in showing that people with long future sightedness are more likely to choose larger future rewards over smaller immediate rewards. In study 3, we show that risk taking decreases with increases i

SUBMITTER: Thorstad R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5828570 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature