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The Joint Effect of Social Comparison and Social Distance on Evaluation of Intertemporal Choice Outcomes in Event-related Potential Studies
Published on: August 25, 2023
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Stress, intertemporal choice, and mitigation behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic
Mayank Agrawal1, Joshua C Peterson2, Jonathan D Cohen1
1Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University.
Journal of Experimental Psychology. General
|April 20, 2023
Summary
Stress increases impulsivity, impacting behaviors like social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Patient individuals, experiencing less stress, were more likely to socially distance, offering insights for public health strategies.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Economics
- Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Delayed gratification is crucial for behaviors like saving and addiction resistance.
- The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the role of delayed gratification in public health compliance, such as social distancing.
- The pandemic offered a real-world context to study the ecological validity of delayed gratification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between stress, impulsivity, and delayed gratification.
- To examine how patience and stress levels influenced social distancing behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- To provide empirical evidence for policymakers regarding public health interventions.
Main Methods:
- Conducted four large-scale online experiments with over 12,000 participants.
- Participants made Money Earlier or Later (MEL) decisions, assessing their time preferences.
- Collected self-reported data on stress levels and pandemic mitigation behaviors.
Main Results:
- Higher stress levels were significantly associated with increased impulsivity.
- Individuals reporting lower stress and higher patience engaged in more social distancing.
- Findings support the link between psychological states and public health adherence.
Conclusions:
- Stress is a significant factor that increases impulsivity, affecting decision-making in critical situations.
- Promoting patience and managing stress can enhance compliance with public health measures.
- This research offers valuable data for developing effective public health strategies during crises.
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