Association for Behavior Analysis International

The current study analyzed the effects of two frames for durations of time – calendar unit and calendar date – on measures of compliance to hypothetical social-distancing policies related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants reported the extent to which they would comply with hypothetical social-distancing polices lasting different durations of time. Durations of time were framed as calendar units (e.g., days, weeks, months, years) and calendar dates (i.e., specific dates the policies would extent to). Levels of compliance across durations of time were used to calculate the area under curve (AuC) for each condition. Social-distancing policies framed in calendar dates yielded significantly greater AuC values compared to social-distancing policies framed in calendar units. Participants’ self-reported political party affiliation yielded a significant main effect: Conservative participants’ AuC values were significantly lower than liberal participants’ AuC values. The framing of the duration of time was a significant variable in controlling rates of compliance to hypothetical social-distancing policies.

Audience members should be able to: (a) Define delay discounting, (b) Identify and describe mechanisms controlling measures of delay discounting; (c) Interpret area under curve (AuC) as a measure of delay discounting; (d) Comprehend the use of a delay-discounting framework to explain a variety of behavioral phenomena