Slowing time, shaping the future: The effect of mindfulness on intertemporal choice

Mindfulness, defined as non-judgmental attention to the present moment, increases consumers’ preference for delayed gratification. This happens because mindfulness slows the subjective passage of time, making people feel “time-rich” and perceive the future as more expansive. As a result, waiting for a larger reward seems less costly, making delayed options more attractive. The effect was observed across six studies—two field investigations and four laboratory experiments, three using consequential behavioral measures—providing convergent evidence. Mindfulness made consumers more willing to wait but did not increase their sensitivity to reward size. These findings have implications for consumers and marketers designing intertemporal incentives.

Study at a glance

Abstract

• Mindfulness increases consumer preference for delayed gratification. • This effect occurs by slowing subjective time and expanding future perspective. • Mindfulness made consumers more willing to wait but not more reward-sensitive. • Findings inform marketing strategies using mindfulness in intertemporal choice promotions. Consumers frequently face intertemporal choices that require trading off reward value against the delay before the reward is received. This research shows that mindfulness, defined as non-judgmental attention to and awareness of the present moment, increases consumers’ preference for delayed gratification. This occurs because mindfulness slows the subjective passage of time duration, leading consumers to perceive the future as more expansive; in other words, they feel “time-rich.” Consequently, they judge waiting for a larger reward as less costly, which makes the delayed option more attractive. Across six studies—two field investigations and four laboratory experiments, three of which used consequential behavioral measures—we provide convergent evidence for this effect and its underlying mechanism. The findings have practical implications both for consumers navigating trade-offs between immediate and delayed outcomes and for marketers designing more effective intertemporal incentives.