Compare the same choice at different distances
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Choosing between supplies available now and a larger set later made the theater's planning intertemporal. Months ahead, the team preferred six bulbs a month after pickup day to four on pickup day; when that day arrived, it suddenly chose four immediately despite unchanged needs. The treasurer called that reversal present-biased because the immediate option gained disproportionate weight. A small incentive for keeping the original collection date encouraged members to notice the future consequence before rushing to take what was available first.
The intertemporal comparison became clearer when the treasurer placed both versions of the choice on a timeline with identical amounts and spacing. She described the reversal as present-biased, while acknowledging that an earlier pickup could be reasonable if the theater's needs had actually changed. The incentive was simply an added benefit meant to encourage a particular action, not proof that the action was always best. The exercise asked members to explain their preferences consistently and identify any new circumstances that would justify changing them.
Before you move on
Look away from the passage. Can you explain each focus word in your own words?
Original fictional passages for vocabulary practice.