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Intertemporal impulsivity can also arise from persistent failure of long-term plans

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2017

Nisheeth Srivastava
Affiliation:
Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, Kanpur 208016, India. nsrivast@cse.iitk.ac.inhttp://www.cse.iitk.ac.in/users/nsrivast/
Narayanan Srinivasan
Affiliation:
Centre of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Allahabad, Allahabad 211002, India. nsrini@cbcs.ac.inhttp://cbcs.ac.in/people/faculty/nsrinivasan/

Abstract

We suggest that steep intertemporal discounting in individuals of low socioeconomic status (SES) may arise as a rational metacognitive adaptation to experiencing planning and control failures in long-term plans. Low SES individuals' plans fail more frequently because they operate close to budgetary boundaries, in turn because they consistently operate with limited budgets of money, status, trust, or other forms of social utility.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 

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