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Ganschow B, Zebel S, van Gelder JL, Cornet LJM. Feeling connected but dissimilar to one's future self reduces the intention-behavior gap. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0305815. [PMID: 39042617 PMCID: PMC11265703 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The intention-behavior gap is a common phenomenon where people fail to follow through on their intentions to change their behavior and pursue their future goals. Previous research has shown that people are more likely to act in favor of their future selves when they feel similar/connected to their future self and can vividly describe them. This study compared an imagination exercise with an integrated imagination and exposure exercise using virtual reality (VR) to embody age-morphed future selves to an imagination only exercise. We expected that strengthening the similarity/connectedness and the vividness of the future self would reduce the intention-behavior gap, and exposure to the future self would have the greatest effect. Surprisingly, the results showed that strengthening connectedness reduced the intention-behavior gap, but strengthening similarity increased the gap. Additionally, the exercises were equally effective in reducing the intention-behavior gap. These findings suggest that both feeling connected to and recognizing dissimilarity to one's future self play different roles in future-oriented behavior change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Ganschow
- Institute of Education and Child Studies, University of Leiden, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Sven Zebel
- Department of Psychology of Conflict, Risk and Safety, University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands
- Department of Private Law, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jean-Louis van Gelder
- Institute of Education and Child Studies, University of Leiden, Leiden, Netherlands
- Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security, and Law, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Liza J. M. Cornet
- Institute of Education and Child Studies, University of Leiden, Leiden, Netherlands
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Zhao H, Sun J, Zhang R, Jiang Y, Zhang Y, Feng T, Feng P. The functional connectivity between right insula and anterior cingulate cortex underlying the association between future self-continuity and delay discounting. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae296. [PMID: 39042032 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Delay discounting refers to the tendency of individuals to devalue future rewards as the delay in their receipt increases over time. Previous studies have indicated that future self-continuity correlates with delay discounting rates. However, the neural basis underlying the relationship between future self-continuity and delay discounting is not clear. To address this question, we used voxel-based morphometry and resting-state functional connectivity analyses to investigate the neural basis underlying the association between future self-continuity and delay discounting. Behavioral result showed that future self-continuity was positively associated with delay discounting. Voxel-based morphometry analysis result indicated that gray matter volume in the right dorsal anterior insula was positively correlated with future self-continuity. Resting-state functional connectivity analysis found that functional connectivity between the right dorsal anterior insula and anterior cingulate cortex was positively associated with future self-continuity. Mediation analysis showed that the right dorsal anterior insula-right anterior cingulate cortex functional connectivity partially mediated the relationship between future self-continuity and delay discounting. These results suggested that right dorsal anterior insula-right anterior cingulate cortex functional connectivity could be the neural basis underlying the association between future self-continuity and delay discounting. In summary, the study provided novel insights into how future self-continuity affected delay discounting and offers new explanations from a neural perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hengyue Zhao
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Jingjing Sun
- Zhenjiang Mental Health Center, No. 199, Tuanshan Road, Runzhou, Jiangsu, 212000, China
| | - Rong Zhang
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Yumeng Jiang
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Yuetong Zhang
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Tingyong Feng
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Pan Feng
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, China
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Zhao X, Zhang R, Feng T. The vmPFC-IPL functional connectivity as the neural basis of future self-continuity impacted procrastination: the mediating role of anticipated positive outcomes. BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN FUNCTIONS : BBF 2024; 20:11. [PMID: 38724963 PMCID: PMC11083830 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-024-00236-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Procrastination is universally acknowledged as a problematic behavior with wide-ranging consequences impacting various facets of individuals' lives, including academic achievement, social accomplishments, and mental health. Although previous research has indicated that future self-continuity is robustly negatively correlated with procrastination, it remains unknown about the neural mechanisms underlying the impact of future self-continuity on procrastination. To address this issue, we employed a free construction approach to collect individuals' episodic future thinking (EFT) thoughts regarding specific procrastination tasks. Next, we conducted voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) analysis to explore the neural substrates underlying future self-continuity. Behavior results revealed that future self-continuity was significantly negatively correlated with procrastination, and positively correlated with anticipated positive outcome. The VBM analysis showed a positive association between future self-continuity and gray matter volumes in the right ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). Furthermore, the RSFC results indicated that the functional connectivity between the right vmPFC and the left inferior parietal lobule (IPL) was positively correlated with future self-continuity. More importantly, the mediation analysis demonstrated that anticipated positive outcome can completely mediate the relationship between the vmPFC-IPL functional connectivity and procrastination. These findings suggested that vmPFC-IPL functional connectivity might prompt anticipated positive outcome about the task and thereby reduce procrastination, which provides a new perspective to understand the relationship between future self-continuity and procrastination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotian Zhao
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, No. 2, Tian Sheng RD., Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Rong Zhang
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, No. 2, Tian Sheng RD., Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Tingyong Feng
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, No. 2, Tian Sheng RD., Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, China.
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China.
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van Gelder JL, Cornet LJM, Zwalua NP, Mertens ECA, van der Schalk J. Interaction with the future self in virtual reality reduces self-defeating behavior in a sample of convicted offenders. Sci Rep 2022; 12:2254. [PMID: 35145177 PMCID: PMC8831494 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-06305-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we test an intervention in which convicted offenders interacted with an age-progressed avatar representing their future selves in virtual reality. During the interaction, they reflected on their current lifestyle, alternating between the perspective of their present self and that of their future self. We hypothesized that this embodied experience would increase their ability to imagine themselves in the future and reduce their engagement in self-defeating behavior, as measured with a self-report survey. In line with expectations, results indicated that the interaction increased vividness of the future self compared to baseline and reduced self-defeating behavior, including alcohol use and overspending, one week later. In addition, increases in vividness were associated with a reduction in self-defeating behavior over and above other concepts relating to the future self, including connectedness, similarity, and valence. The results are based on a small sample and should therefore be considered as indicative of the possibilities of our virtual reality paradigm as an intervention tool to reduce self-defeating behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Louis van Gelder
- grid.4372.20000 0001 2105 1091Department of Criminology, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law, Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany ,grid.5132.50000 0001 2312 1970Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Liza J. M. Cornet
- grid.5132.50000 0001 2312 1970Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Natascha P. Zwalua
- grid.5132.50000 0001 2312 1970Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Esther C. A. Mertens
- grid.5132.50000 0001 2312 1970Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Job van der Schalk
- grid.5132.50000 0001 2312 1970Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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