The Effect Of Emotional Valence And Emotional Arousal On Intertemporal Decision-making Preferences: The Mediating Role Of Time Perception And Time Estimation

With the development of social economy,intertemporal decision-making is becoming more and more common in daily life.Previous studies on the impact of emotional valence on intertemporal decision-making preferences have conflicting results.Direct research evidence on the impact of emotional arousal on intertemporal decision-making preference is insufficient,and the internal mechanism of the impact of emotional valence on intertemporal decision-making preference remains to be explored.Therefore,this study is based on the theory of cold and heat system and the theory of time perception to explore the influence of emotional valence and emotional arousal on intertemporal decision-making preference,and investigate the role of time perception and time estimation in this process,so as to solve the contradictions and shortcomings of previous studies.Two sub-studies were used to discuss the problems raised.In study 1,the influence of emotional valence and arousal on intertemporal decision-making preference was explored.In order to explore its internal mechanism,study 1 was further deepened,and study 2 was divided into study 2a and study 2b.The three experiments of the two studies each included108 participants.The results of study 1 show that:(1)Individuals with negative emotions preferred the sooner and small option(SS)compared to positive emotions;the selection rate of the sooner and small option was significantly higher in individuals with high arousal than in individuals with low arousal.(2)Compared with the gain situation,individuals prefer to choose the option with sooner and small(SS)in the loss situation.The results of study 2 show that:(1)Time perception is related to emotional arousal and intertemporal decision-making preference,and plays a mediating role in the influence of emotional arousal on intertemporal decision-making preference.(2)Time estimation is related to emotional valence and intertemporal decision-making preference,and plays a mediating role in the influence of emotional valence on intertemporal decision-making preference.The results of the two studies draw the following conclusions:(1)Both emotional valence and emotional arousal had an impact on intertemporal decision-making preference.Negative emotion or high arousal emotion will make individuals prefer the sooner and small option;Individuals with positive emotions or low arousal emotions would prefer the option with later and large.(2)In loss-based intertemporal decisions-making,individuals prefer the sooner and small option to the gain-based intertemporal decision-making.(3)Individuals with high arousal emotions make their subjective perception time longer,so they prefer to choose the option with sooner and small.Individuals with negative emotions tend to overestimate time and choose option with later and large.