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A Dual-Self Model of Impulse Control.

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A new dual-self model unifies explanations for time inconsistency and risk aversion. It suggests self-control costs lead to excess delay and explains how cognitive load impacts resisting temptations.

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Area of Science:

  • Behavioral Economics
  • Decision Theory
  • Psychology

Background:

  • Existing models of time inconsistency, such as quasi-hyperbolic discounting, and paradoxes of risk aversion (e.g., Rabin's paradox) lack a unified explanation.
  • Previous models of self-control costs (O'Donoghue & Rabin) suggest excess delay, but do not fully integrate cognitive load effects.
  • Experimental evidence indicates a link between increased cognitive load and reduced ability to resist temptations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose a simple "dual-self" model offering a unified explanation for diverse empirical regularities in decision-making.
  • To demonstrate how this model accounts for time inconsistency, risk aversion, and self-control costs.
  • To explain the influence of cognitive load on the capacity to resist immediate temptations.

Main Methods:

  • Development of a theoretical "dual-self" economic model.
  • Analysis of the model's implications for time inconsistency, risk aversion, and self-control.
  • Comparison of model predictions with existing empirical and experimental findings, including the impact of cognitive load.

Main Results:

  • The dual-self model provides a unified framework for understanding time inconsistency and Rabin's paradox of risk aversion.
  • The model predicts that self-control costs result in excess delay, consistent with prior work.
  • The model successfully explains experimental data showing that higher cognitive load impairs resistance to temptation.

Conclusions:

  • The proposed dual-self model offers a parsimonious and unified explanation for key behavioral economic phenomena.
  • The model's consistency with the Gul-Pesendorfer axioms is shown, with a caveat regarding cognitive load.
  • It is argued that the Gul-Pesendorfer axioms may need relaxation to fully incorporate the effects of cognitive load on self-control.