Takeo Fujiwara, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, says that children who were affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and whose houses were completely destroyed or spilled tend to choose small profits over immediate profits. It was found in a survey by Professor Yusuke Matsuyama and others.
According to Tokyo Medical and Dental University, researchers from Harvard University, the University of Tokyo, Iwate Medical University, and Fukushima Rehabilitation Center also participated in the research.With the support of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and the Meiji Yasuda Mental Health Foundation.
The research group conducted a survey in 3 on 167 children who attended nursery schools in the three prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima at the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake.I gave the children five coins and asked them to choose between getting one candy immediately with one coin or two candy one month later with one coin.
As a result, children who had a disastrous experience, such as having their home completely destroyed or leaked, or witnessing a person being washed away by the tsunami, were more likely to place coins on those who could get candy right away.In particular, children whose homes were completely destroyed or leaked placed more than 0.5 extra coins to those who could get them now, compared to children who had no damage to their homes.
The research group believes that children with disastrous experiences tend to prioritize their interests now over the future.
Paper information:[PLOS ONE] Delay discounting in children exposed to disaster