Karolina Lempert
Department of Psychology
University of Pennsylvania

Beyond dual systems: toward a more sophisticated understanding of intertemporal choice

From deciding whether to wait in line at the store to deciding whether to pursue a PhD, many of the choices we make are intertemporal; that is, they involve consequences that unfold over time. Popular “dual systems” models of intertemporal choice have suggested that emotion leads us to be impulsive, and executive function leads us to make beneficial choices for the long-term. Here I will show, through an overview of my graduate and postdoctoral work, that the roles of emotion and cognitive function in intertemporal decision-making are more nuanced than what these models would predict. Uncovering the mechanisms underlying this decision process will have real-world applications, including in the clinical domain.

A pizza lunch will be served.