Consideration of future consequences (CFC) is one of the constructs that make up future oriented thinking. Not much is known about how CFC is formed or how it can be changed. Previous studies show...Show moreConsideration of future consequences (CFC) is one of the constructs that make up future oriented thinking. Not much is known about how CFC is formed or how it can be changed. Previous studies show that CFC is negatively related to self-defeating behavior and positively related to goal achievement. The goal of the present study was to reestablish these relations with a more generalized definition of self-defeating behavior and goal achievement in different domains. Apart from this, the present study had the goal of determining whether CFC could be changed through a VR- or smartphone application over the course of three weeks. 193 first year students from Leiden University (92,7% female) participated in the study. The participants were divided among three conditions: a VR-condition, a smartphone app-condition and a control condition. At the start of the study, the participants were asked to complete a questionnaire measuring CFC and self-defeating behavior. In addition, all participants set goals for themselves to complete. The degree to which they had achieved these goals was measured after three weeks, along with a second measurement of CFC. It was found through a regression analysis that CFC showed a significant correlation with self-defeating behavior, meaning CFC predicted this behavior. A regression analysis between CFC and goal achievement showed no significant correlation, meaning that CFC did not predict goal achievement. Finally, a repeated measures ANOVA indicated that there was no significant improvement of CFC after three weeks of using the intervention. Although no significant difference was found, perhaps an intervention that is used for a longer time period or a domain specific intervention could yield more successful results in improving CFC. More research is needed in defining the underlying constructs of self-defeating behavior and goal achievement, as well as evaluating possible ways to stimulate awareness of future consequences.Show less
