Motivational Factors in Intergenerational Sustainability Dilemma: A Post-Interview Analysis

Abstract

An intergenerational sustainability dilemma (ISD) is a situation of whether or not a person sacrifices herself for future sustainability. However, little is known about what people consider while making a decision under ISD. This paper analyzes motivational factors for people to decide under ISD, hypothesizing that the factors can be different with or without perspective-taking of future generations. One-person basic ISD game (ISDG) along with post-interviews are instituted where a lineup of individuals is organized as a generational sequence. Each individual chooses an unsustainable (or sustainable) option with (without) irreversibly costing future generations in 36 situations. A future ahead and back (FAB) mechanism is applied as a treatment for perspective-taking of future generations where each individual is asked to take the next generation’s position and to make a request about the choice that he/she wants the current generation to choose, and next, he/she makes the actual decision from the original position. By analyzing the post-interview contents with text-mining techniques, the paper finds that individuals mostly consider how previous generations had behaved in basic ISDG as the main motivational factor. However, individuals in FAB treatment are induced to put more weight on the possible consequences of their decisions for future generations as motivational factors. The findings suggest that perspective-taking of future generations through FAB mechanism enables people to change not only their behaviors but also motivational factors, enhancing ISD.

Exploring the Possibility of Linking and Incorporating Future Design in Backcasting and Scenario Planning

“…In summary, we have identified that FD has two features, i.e., its visioning practice and strategy-making process, which can be considered distinct from the practices and procedures of backcasting and scenario planning. Based on research and practice, FD mechanisms and practices are said to successfully induce people to be future-oriented and sustainable by triggering cognitive dissonance, empathy for future generations, expansions of their ways of thinking and paradoxical thinking [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]47,48]. Given this state of affairs, we suggest that linking and incorporating FD into some practices of backcasting and scenario planning are possible along with some potential benefits in that some important sustainable problems can be usefully analyzed [49].…”

“…Conversely, a future design (FD) approach has recently been advocated and researched. This approach can be considered a new element or member, potentially being linked to and incorporated into backcasting and scenario planning for sustainability [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. This paper reviews some main features of the three approaches to future planning for sustainability and explores some possibilities of linking and incorporating FD into the existing approaches.…”

Promoting prosociality toward future generations in antibiotic intake

“…Evidence suggests that taking the perspective of future generations can affect how decision makers perceive the consequences of their own acts (e.g. climate change, Shahen et al, 2020). Concerning antibiotics, research suggests an association between physician’s empathy and prescribing behavior (Sun et al, 2017).…”