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Asymmetric Anticipatory Emotions and Economic Preferences: Dread, Savoring, Risk, and Time
Chris Dawson1, Samuel G B Johnson1,2,3
1School of Management, University of Bath.
Cognitive Science
|January 20, 2026
Summary
Anticipating future losses causes more distress than anticipating equal gains, leading to increased risk aversion and impatience. This emotional asymmetry impacts financial decision-making.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Economics
- Neuroeconomics
- Decision Science
Background:
- Anticipatory emotions, such as dread and savoring, influence decision-making.
- Previous research explored anticipatory emotions in lab settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate individual differences in anticipatory emotions using economic survey data.
- To investigate the link between asymmetric anticipatory emotions and economic preferences like risk aversion and impatience.
Main Methods:
- Utilized economic survey data to quantify individual differences in anticipatory emotions.
- Analyzed the relationship between these emotional asymmetries and key economic preferences.
Main Results:
- The negative emotional impact of anticipating future losses is greater than the positive impact of anticipating equal gains.
- Stronger asymmetries in anticipatory emotions correlate with increased risk aversion and impatience.
Conclusions:
- Asymmetries in anticipatory emotions provide a framework for understanding the link between risk aversion and impatience.
- This emotional asymmetry may explain various intertemporal and risky choice phenomena.
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