Making decisions for oneself and others: How regulatory focus influences the ‘decision maker role effect' for intertemporal choices

We examined self-other differences in an intertemporal choice context, investigating whether choices vary according to different types of regulatory focus. In Study 1, the role of chronic regulatory focus on self-other intertemporal choice was investigated. In Study 2, we designed a causal chain of studies (Study 2a and 2b) to further examine the role of situational regulatory focus in the context of self-other intertemporal choice. Overall, we found a self-other difference for intertemporal choice: individuals who make choices for themselves or for an intimate friend prefer later and larger (LL) rewards than those making choices for a complete stranger, thus demonstrating a ‘decision maker role effect’. Secondly, regardless of chronic or induced regulatory focus, participants with a promotion focus preferred more immediate rewards, while participants with a prevention focus preferred deferred rewards. The self-other difference in intertemporal choice was manifested differently for those holding a chronic promotion focus versus those holding a chronic prevention focus; situationally induced regulatory focus, on the other hand, was found to play a mediating role in self-other intertemporal choice