The effect of mortality salience on intertemporal choice: the role of flavor perception

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 led to a notable increase in mortality data, impacting various facets of life. This study investigated the impact of mortality awareness on decision-making and intertemporal preferences amidst the prevailing death-related environment. Three experiments were conducted to assess how mortality salience and death-related information influence intertemporal choices and the role of food tastes in this context. Experiment 1 used a mortality salience paradigm to study changes in intertemporal decision-making under mortality awareness. Experiment 2 analyzed how characteristics of death messages and the nature of death events affect self-involvement and intertemporal choices. Experiment 3 aimed to examine if different food flavors could act as a defense mechanism against death-related effects, influencing intertemporal decisions. The results showed that (1) Compared to the control group, the death-accentuated group preferred small and immediate rewards when making intertemporal choices. (2) Individuals showed high delay discount rates and preferred instant gratification for both accidental death events and when the main character of the death event was themselves. (3) Moreover, those who experienced mortality salience and consumed sweets or water showed increased willingness to opt for delayed gratification, demonstrating lower delay discount rates and higher patience. The results of the study show that food taste acts as a proximal defense mechanism against the negative impacts of mortality salience on decision-making, prompting individuals facing death to prioritize delayed gratification over immediate gains.