COMMITMENT, CHOICE AND SELF‐CONTROL¹

TLDR

Models predict that as the waiting period T increases, pigeons shift from preferring immediate small rewards to choosing the larger delayed reward, mirroring commitment and self‑control in humans. Pigeons chose the small immediate reward in a direct choice, but when a waiting period T preceded the choice, they selected the small reward only for short T and the large delayed reward for long T.

Abstract

When offered a choice (Choice Y) between a small immediate reward (2‐sec exposure to grain) and a large reward (4‐sec exposure to grain) delayed by 4 sec, pigeons invariably preferred the small, immediate reward. However, when offered a choice (Choice X) between a delay of T seconds followed by Choice Y and a delay of T seconds followed by restriction to the large delayed reward only, the pigeon's choice depended on T. When T was small, the pigeons chose the alternative leading to Choice Y (and then chose the small, immediate reward). When T was large, the pigeons chose the alternative leading to the large delayed reward only. The reversal of preference as T increases is predicted by several recent models for choice between various amounts and delays of reward. The preference for the large delayed alternative with long durations of T parallels everyday instances of advance commitment to a given course of action. Such commitment may be seen as a prototype for self‐control.