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Comment
. 2019 Dec 12:42:e269.
doi: 10.1017/S0140525X19000633.

Identity-based motivation and the paradox of the future self: Getting going requires thinking about time (later) in time (now)

Daphna Oyserman  1 , Andrew Dawson  1
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Identity-based motivation and the paradox of the future self: Getting going requires thinking about time (later) in time (now)

Daphna Oyserman et al. Behav Brain Sci. .

Abstract

People can imagine their future selves without taking future-focused action. Identity-based motivation theory explains why. Hoerl & McCormack outline how. Present-focused action prevails because future "me" feels irrelevant to the choices facing current "me" unless future "me" is experienced as occurring now or as linked to current "me" via if-then simulations. This entails reasoning in time and about time.

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