title: The Contrast Effect in Temporal and Probabilistic Discounting.
abstract: In this information age, messages related to time, and uncertainty surround us. At the same time, our daily lives are filled with decisions accompanied by temporal delay or uncertainty. Will such information influence our temporal and probabilistic discounting? The authors address this question from the perspectives of decision by sampling (DbS) theory and psychological distance theory. Studies 1 and 2 investigated the effect of contextual messages on temporal discounting and probabilistic discounting, respectively. The results indicated that participants who memorized messages about long-term and low-probability events rated delay or uncertainty as mentally closer and exhibited a less degree of value discounting than those who memorized messages regarding short-term and high-probability events. In addition, a sense of distance from present or reality mediated the effect of contextual messages on value discounting. The implications of the current findings for theory and applications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Guibing
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: He
keywords: contrast effect; decision by sampling; probabilistic discounting; psychological distance; temporal discounting