Time is money, but for whom? The role of social distance in spending time and money

Czas to pieniądz, tylko dla kogo? Rola dystansu społecznego w wyborze między czasem a pieniędzmi

This research examined whether increasing social distance – shifting from decisions for oneself to those for a close other – affects preferences in time–money trade-offs. Across two experiments, participants evaluated service options differing in duration and cost. We hypothesized that decisions made on behalf of others would reflect a stronger preference for time-saving over cost-saving options. In Study 1 (N = 133), a binary choice task showed that decisions for others more often favoured time-saving but costlier options, and required longer deliberation. In Study 2 (N = 131), a matching procedure asked participants to state the monetary value of faster options; here, the social distance effect disappeared, suggesting that the more analytical task format attenuated group differences. The findings indicate that the impact of social distance on consumer decisions depends on task structure, with practical implications for how offer formats can influence whether customers prioritize time or money.

Celem badania było sprawdzenie, czy zwiększenie dystansu społecznego – przejście z perspektywy własnej do podejmowania decyzji w imieniu innej osoby – wpływa na preferencje w kompromisach między czasem a pieniędzmi. W dwóch eksperymentach uczestnicy wybierali między usługami różniącymi się kosztem i czasem realizacji. W badaniu 1 (N = 133) zadanie wyboru binarnego wykazało, że w decyzjach podejmowanych w imieniu innej osoby częściej preferowano opcje oszczędzające czas mimo ich wyższej ceny; dodatkowo decyzje te zajmowały więcej czasu, co sugeruje bardziej refleksyjne przetwarzanie. W badaniu 2 (N = 131) użyto procedury dopasowania wymagającej wyceny szybszej opcji. Przy takim warunku efekt dystansu społecznego nie wystąpił, co wskazuje, że bardziej analityczna forma zadania osłabiła różnice między decyzjami. Wyniki sugerują, że rola dystansu społecznego w decyzjach konsumenckich zależy od struktury zadania, a format prezentacji oferty może wpływać na sposób, w jaki konsumenci równoważą czas i pieniądze.

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