Development of a Novel Task for Investigating Insensitivity to Future Consequences: Two Studies Conducted with Undergraduates and Community Volunteers.

We present two studies that aimed to develop and validate a novel task for investigating insensitivity to future consequences (IFC) in decision-making. The task, referred to as the Scenario Task (ST), expands the scope of IFC investigation beyond monetary outcomes and involves decision-making regard...

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Publicado en:Journal of Psychopathology & Behavioral Assessment Vol. 48; no. 2; pp. 1 - 17
Autores principales: Ma, Xinyao, Roberts, John E.
Formato: research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Springer Nature Jun2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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      dt: Jun2026
      vid: 48
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      pub: Springer Nature
      place: New York, New York
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        10.1007/s10862-026-10283-7
        193390377
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        atl: Development of a Novel Task for Investigating Insensitivity to Future Consequences: Two Studies Conducted with Undergraduates and Community Volunteers.
      aug:
        au:
          Ma, Xinyao
          Roberts, John E.
        affil: https://ror.org/01y64my43 Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, 221 Park Hall, 14216, Buffalo, NY, USA
      sug:
        subj:
          Decision Making
          Students, Undergraduate Psychosocial Factors
          Volunteer Workers
          Community Programs
          Executive Function
          Task Performance and Analysis
          Psychometrics Evaluation
          Human
          Male
          Female
          Adolescence
          Adult
          Focus Groups
          Multimethod Studies
          Thematic Analysis
          Semi-Structured Interview
          Questionnaires
          Avoidance Learning
          Descriptive Statistics
          Comparative Studies
          T-Tests
          Post Hoc Analysis
          Power Analysis
          Mediation Analysis
          Intraclass Correlation Coefficient
          Confidence Intervals
          Data Analysis Software
          Construct Validity
          Adolescent: 13-18 years
          Adult: 19-44 years
          Male
          Female
      ab: We present two studies that aimed to develop and validate a novel task for investigating insensitivity to future consequences (IFC) in decision-making. The task, referred to as the Scenario Task (ST), expands the scope of IFC investigation beyond monetary outcomes and involves decision-making regarding approach versus avoidance behaviors in hypothetical scenarios. The key manipulation involves the presence versus absence of long-term consequences embedded within the scenario. Study 1 involved a focus group compromising 21 (76% female) psychology undergraduates to gather feedback and make modifications to the task. Study 2 involved an experiment with 208 (80% female) Research Match volunteer participants to examine the effectiveness of the manipulation, potential bias, and the internal consistency of the ST, as well as potential moderators, including future thinking vividness. Results indicated that the inclusion of long-term consequences significantly increased approach decisions independent of participants' age and their perceptions of scenario characteristics. These findings provide preliminary evidence for validity and reliability of the ST. Limitations of the current study and recommendations for future directions are discussed.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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