Mental Simulation and Stability Over Time

Prior research on intertemporal choice has demonstrated that people’s preferences can be impacted by the temporal distance. Specifically, Trope and Liberman (2003) shows that when we make a choice for the future, we tend to think much more about how desirable a certain option is. However, when making a decision with near future consequences, we often put much more weight on whether a certain option is feasible. As a result of this shift in considerations, people have inconsistent preference over time