PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Powerful people are looking out for their future selves

2013-02-20
(Press-News.org) Would you prefer $120 today or $154 in one year? Your answer may depend on how powerful you feel, according to new research in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

Many people tend to forego the larger reward and opt for the $120 now, a phenomenon known as temporal discounting. But research conducted by Priyanka Joshi and Nathanael Fast of the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business suggests that people who feel powerful are more likely to wait for the bigger reward, in part because they feel a stronger connection with their future selves.

In the first of four experiments, the researchers randomly assigned participants to be a team manager (high-power role) or a team worker (low-power role) in a group activity. Afterwards, the participants were asked to make a series of choices between receiving $120 now or increasing amounts of money ($137, $154, $171, $189, $206, $223, and $240) in one year.

On average, low-power team workers were only willing to take the future reward if it was at least $88 more than the immediate one. High-power team managers, on the other hand, were willing to wait for future rewards that were only $52 more than the immediate one.

Joshi and Fast speculated that power holders may be willing to wait for the larger rewards because they feel more connected with their future selves, a consequence of experiencing less uncertainty about their futures along with an increased tendency to see the big picture.

In line with their hypothesis, the second experiment showed that the relationship between power and reduced temporal discounting could be explained, at least in part, by participants' connectedness to their future selves.

A third study showed that powerful people also show this pattern with non-monetary rewards.

In the final study, Joshi and Fast took their research outside the laboratory, asking dozens of people about how powerful they feel in their everyday jobs and how much money they have socked away. After accounting for various factors including total income and socioeconomic status, the researchers found that people who felt more powerful at work and who felt more connected with their future selves had amassed greater lifetime savings.

While powerful people may feel more connected with their future selves and are therefore more likely to save money, they also tend to be overconfident decision-makers.

"It is important to foster awareness of all of power's effects," the researchers conclude, "otherwise, the power holder may make overly risky — albeit well-intentioned — decisions on behalf of their future self."

###

For more information about this study, please contact: Priyanka D. Joshi at priyankj@usc.edu.

The APS journal Psychological Science is the highest ranked empirical journal in psychology. For a copy of the article "Power and Reduced Temporal Discounting" and access to other Psychological Science research findings, please contact Anna Mikulak at 202-293-9300 or amikulak@psychologicalscience.org.

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Engineering control theory helps create dynamic brain models

2013-02-20
BOSTON -- Models of the human brain, patterned on engineering control theory, may some day help researchers control such neurological diseases as epilepsy, Parkinson's and migraines, according to a Penn State researcher who is using mathematical models of neuron networks from which more complex brain models emerge. "The dual concepts of observability and controlability have been considered one of the most important developments in mathematics of the 20th century," said Steven J. Schiff, the Brush Chair Professor of Engineering and director of the Penn State Center for ...

New approach alters malaria maps

2013-02-20
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Identifying areas of malarial infection risk depends more on daily temperature variation than on the average monthly temperatures, according to a team of researchers, who believe that their results may also apply to environmentally temperature-dependent organisms other than the malaria parasite. "Temperature is a key driver of several of the essential mosquito and parasite life history traits that combine to determine transmission intensity, including mosquito development rate, biting rate, development rate and survival of the parasite within the ...

Mutant champions save imperiled species from almost-certain extinction

Mutant champions save imperiled species from almost-certain extinction
2013-02-20
Species facing widespread and rapid environmental changes can sometimes evolve quickly enough to dodge the extinction bullet. Populations of disease-causing bacteria evolve, for example, as doctors flood their "environment," the human body, with antibiotics. Insects, animals and plants can make evolutionary adaptations in response to pesticides, heavy metals and overfishing. Previous studies have shown that the more gradual the change, the better the chances for "evolutionary rescue" – the process of mutations occurring fast enough to allow a population to avoid extinction ...

NASA saw Tropical Storm Haruna come together

NASA saw Tropical Storm Haruna come together
2013-02-20
Tropical Storm Haruna came together on Feb. 19 in the Southern Indian Ocean and two NASA satellites provided visible and infrared imagery that helped forecasters see the system's organization. A low pressure area called System 94S developed on Friday, Feb. 15 in the northern Mozambique Channel. Over the course of four days System 94S became more organized and by Feb. 19 it became Tropical Storm Haruna. On Tuesday, Feb. 19, Tropical Storm Haruna had maximum sustained winds near 35 knots (40.2 mph/64.8 kph). Haruna was located in the Mozambique Channel, near 21.4 south ...

NASA satellite sees Tropical Depression 02W soak the Philippines

NASA satellite sees Tropical Depression 02W soak the Philippines
2013-02-20
The second tropical depression of the northwestern Pacific Ocean season formed on Feb. 19, and NASA's Aqua satellite showed the storm was soaking the central and southern Philippines. NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Tropical Depression 02W (TD02W) as it was coming together and soaking provinces in Mindanao and the Palawan province of Luzon. The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument that flies aboard Aqua captured an infrared image of the depression at 0541 UTC (12:41 a.m. EST). The AIRS image showed very cold cloud top temperatures, colder than -63F (-52C) ...

UC research examines interventions in treating African-Americans with substance abuse

2013-02-20
New research out of the University of Cincinnati reveals a relatively rare look into the success of substance abuse treatment programs for African-Americans. Researchers report that self-motivation could be an important consideration into deciding on the most effective treatment strategy. The study led by Ann Kathleen Burlew, a UC professor of psychology, and LaTrice Montgomery, a UC assistant professor of human services, is published online this week in Psychology of Addictive Behaviors. Specifically among African-Americans, the study investigated the effectiveness of ...

It's not just amyloid: White matter hyperintensities and Alzheimer's disease

2013-02-20
New York, NY (February 19, 2013) — New findings by Columbia researchers suggest that along with amyloid deposits, white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) may be a second necessary factor for the development of Alzheimer's disease. Most current approaches to Alzheimer's disease focus on the accumulation of amyloid plaque in the brain. The researchers at the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, led by Adam M. Brickman, PhD, assistant professor of neuropsychology, examined the additional contribution of small-vessel cerebrovascular disease, ...

Increasing evidence links high glycemic index foods and dairy products to acne

2013-02-20
Philadelphia, PA, February 20, 2013 – A study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has determined that there is increasing evidence of a connection between diet and acne, particularly from high glycemic load diets and dairy products, and that medical nutrition therapy (MNT) can play an important role in acne treatment. More than 17 million Americans suffer from acne, mostly during their adolescent and young adult years. Acne influences quality of life, including social withdrawal, anxiety, and depression, making treatment essential. Since ...

Researchers find crime drama viewers more likely to aid sexual assault victims

2013-02-20
PULLMAN, Wash. – Viewers of primetime crime dramas, like NCIS, CSI or Law & Order, are more inclined than non-viewers to see themselves intervening on behalf of the victim of a sexual assault, according to recent research at Washington State University. Published in the Journal of Health Communication, the study suggests prime-time television may be a successful medium for educating the public about sexual assault and encouraging positive responses, according to Stacey Hust, associate professor of communication with the Edward R. Murrow College of Communications and ...

A Royal Experience: KMOJ's Georgia Ellyse Celebrates 25th Birthday

2013-02-20
Twin Cities' KMOJ radio personality Georgia Ellyse is celebrating her 25th birthday this Saturday in a royal way. The soiree, dubbed "Miss Georgia's Royal 25th Birthday Experience," is presented by Team Sophisticated as part of its weekly "A Sophisticated Experience" and has gained buzz as a must-attend event for the Twin Cities' most influential tastemakers. As host of KMOJ/89.9 FM's Midday Show, Ellyse is excited to take a moment to celebrate this milestone in her life as she continues to pursue her dreams within the entertainment and beauty ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

New Case Western Reserve University study identifies key protein’s role in psoriasis

First-ever ethics checklist for portable MRI brain researchers

Addressing 3D effects of clouds for significant improvements of climate models

Gut microbes may mediate the link between drinking sugary beverages and diabetes risk

Ribosomes team up in difficult situations, new technology shows

Mortality trends among adults ages 25-44 in the US

Discontinuation and reinitiation of dual-labeled GLP-1 receptor agonists among us adults with overweight or obesity

Ultraprocessed food consumption and obesity development in Canadian children

Experts publish framework for global adoption of digital health in medical education

Canadian preschoolers get nearly half of daily calories from ultra-processed foods: University of Toronto study

City of Hope scientists identify mechanism for self-repair of the thymus, a crucial component of the immune system

New study reveals how reduced rainfall threatens plant diversity

New study reveals optimized in vitro fertilization techniques to boost coral restoration efforts in the Caribbean

No evidence that maternal sickness during pregnancy causes autism

Healthy gut bacteria that feed on sugar analyzed for the first time

240-year-old drug could save UK National Health Service £100 million a year treating common heart rhythm disorder

Detections of poliovirus in sewage samples require enhanced routine and catch-up vaccination and increased surveillance, according to ECDC report

Scientists unlock ice-repelling secrets of polar bear fur for sustainable anti-freezing solutions 

Ear muscle we thought humans didn’t use — except for wiggling our ears — actually activates when people listen hard

COVID-19 pandemic drove significant rise in patients choosing to leave ERs before medically recommended

Burn grasslands to maintain them: What is good for biodiversity?

Ventilation in hospitals could cause viruses to spread further

New study finds high concentrations of plastics in the placentae of infants born prematurely

New robotic surgical systems revolutionizing patient care

New MSK research a step toward off-the-shelf CAR T cell therapy for cancer

UTEP professor wins prestigious research award from American Psychological Association

New national study finds homicide and suicide is the #1 cause of maternal death in the U.S.

Women’s pelvic tissue tears during childbirth unstudied, until now

Earth scientists study Sikkim flood in India to help others prepare for similar disasters

Leveraging data to improve health equity and care

[Press-News.org] Powerful people are looking out for their future selves