DataSheet1.pdf

Commitment devices impose costs on one's future self for failing to follow through on one's intentions, offer no additional benefit to one's future self for following through on the intention, and people voluntarily enroll in them. Enrollment in commitment devices reflects self-awareness that one may lack sufficient self-control to fulfill one's intentions. There is little experimental research on whether school-age children possess the self-awareness necessary to enroll in a commitment device, despite evidence that children and young adolescents have many positive intentions that they fail to live up to, such as demonstrating improved school conduct or eating healthier. We report the first field experiment examining the demand for, and impact of, commitment devices among middle school students. We offered students a commitment device that imposed future costs for failing to improve in-school conduct. When presented with the opportunity to actively opt-in (default not enrolled), over one-third of students elected to enroll. When presented with the opportunity to actively opt-out (default enrolled), more than half elected to remain enrolled, showing that changing default options can increase commitment device enrollment. Despite demand for the self-control strategy, taking-up the commitment device did not affect student behavior. These findings have implications for youth-based behavioral interventions broadly, as well as those focused on eating behaviors.

承诺装置（Commitment Device）会为未能践行自身意向的未来自我施加成本，不会为践行意向的未来自我提供额外收益，且由人们自愿报名参与。报名参与承诺装置，反映出个体已意识到自身可能缺乏足够的自我控制力来实现既定意向。尽管有证据表明儿童与低龄青少年拥有诸多未能践行的积极意向，例如改善在校行为或养成更健康的饮食习惯，但针对学龄儿童是否具备报名参与承诺装置所需的自我认知能力的实验研究仍较为匮乏。本研究首次开展田野实验，探究中学生群体对承诺装置的需求及其影响效果。我们为学生设置了一款承诺装置，若学生未能改善在校行为，则会对其未来施加相应成本。当提供主动选择加入的机会（默认未报名）时，超过三分之一的学生选择参与。当提供主动选择退出的机会（默认已报名）时，超过一半的学生选择保持参与，这表明调整默认选项可提升承诺装置的报名率。尽管学生对这类自我控制策略存在需求，但参与承诺装置并未对其行为产生显著影响。本研究结论对面向青少年的各类行为干预方案（尤其是针对饮食行为的干预方案）均具有借鉴意义。