Intertemporal prosocial behavior: a review and research agenda

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Economics
• Social Psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Intertemporal and prosocial decision-making research traditionally exists in separate fields.
• Many real-world decisions, such as trust, involve both time and social considerations.
• Emerging literature examines the interplay between temporal discounting and social preferences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the nascent field of intertemporal prosocial decision-making.
• To highlight the integration of time and social factors in decision research.
• To identify knowledge gaps and suggest future research directions.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of intertemporal and prosocial decision-making studies.
• Analysis of how temporal uncertainty affects social utility.
• Synthesis of findings from behavioral economics and social psychology.

Main Results:

• Time introduces or amplifies uncertainty in future social outcomes.
• Intertemporal prosocial decisions require managing expectations about reciprocity and future feelings.
• The intersection of time and social factors presents unique psychological challenges.

Conclusions:

• Intertemporal prosocial decision-making is a critical area for future research.
• Understanding temporal dynamics in social choices can inform theories of trust and cooperation.
• Further investigation is needed to address the complexities of uncertainty in these decisions.