THE ROLE OF FEASIBILITY AND DESIRABILITY CONSIDERATIONS IN NEAR AND DISTANT FUTURE DECISIONS - A TEST OF TEMPORAL CONSTRUAL THEORY

Temporal construal theory states that distant future situations are co nstrued on a higher level (i.e., using more abstract and central featu res) than near future situations. Accordingly, the theory suggests tha t the value associated with the high-level construal is enhanced over delay and that the value associated with the low-level construal is di scounted over delay.In goal-directed activities, desirability of the a ctivity's end state represents a high-level construal, whereas the fea sibility of attaining this end state represents a low-level construal. Study 1 found that distant future activities were construed on a high er level than near future activities. Studies 2 and 3 showed that deci sions regarding distant future activities, compared with decisions reg arding near future activities, were more influenced by the desirabilit y of the end state and less influenced by the feasibility of attaining the end state. Study 4 presented students with a real-life choice of academic assignments varying in difficulty (feasibility) and interest (desirability). In choosing a distant future assignment, students plac ed relatively more weight on the assignment's interest, whereas in cho osing a near future assignment, they placed relatively more weight on difficulty. Study 5 found that distant future plans, compared with nea r future plans, were related to desirability of activities rather than to time constraints.