The hourglass is half full or half empty: Temporal framing and the group planning fallacy

Abstract

Three studies tested hypotheses that temporal frames influence the group planning fallacy and are associated with subjective distance to deadlines and thoughts about successful task completion. Temporal framing effects occurred even though actual times to deadlines were held constant. In Study 1, groups predicted course project completion. Those adopting little time remaining frames exhibited less planning fallacy than those adopting lots of time remaining frames. Little time remaining frames were related to deadlines feeling closer and to fewer thoughts about success. Study 2 replicated this finding using a laboratory assembly task. Study 3 further indicated that it is whether thoughts about success come to mind easily, not thought content, that produces this effect; thoughts about success also led to deadlines feeling closer. Copyright 2005 by the Educational Publishing Foundation.