Self-Affirmation Reduces Delay Discounting of the Financially Deprived.

ABSTRACT: Financial deprivation is associated with excessive discounting of delayed rewards. In the present research, we argue that this counterproductive tendency may be driven, at least in part, by the aversive and self-threatening nature of experiencing financial deprivation. Accordingly, we propose that self-affirmation-an intervention known to buffer negative consequences of psychological threats-may reduce delay discounting of the financially deprived. Results of two high-powered, preregistered experiments support this proposition. Specifically, in Study 1 (n = 546), we show that among participants with relatively lower income, self-affirmation effectively reduces delay discounting. In Study 2 (n = 432), we manipulate the feeling of financial deprivation and demonstrate that self

SUBMITTER: Moeini-Jazani M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6682614 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature