Abstract: Delay of gratification which is based on future-oriented self-regulation largely refers to the tendency to postpone immediate satisfaction and persist in goal-directed behavior in order to obtain more valuable reward. As a kind of self-regulation, it can transform individual’s future goals and beliefs into actual self-regulation behavior and is directly affected by future time perspective(FTP). The impact of FTP on delay of gratification can be explained by various theories, such as expected-value theory, construal-level theory and self-regulation cyclical model. According to expected-value theory, in the cognitive aspect, individuals with a long FTP formulate longer means-goals structures and are perceived as more instrumental to delay goals; in the dynamic aspect, although the anticipated value the delayed reward decreased with increasing delay intervals, this decrease is less steep for individuals with a long FTP because a given temporal interval to the distant future is psychologically shorter for them. Construal-level theory suggests that psychologically distant events are represented by high-level construals and that construals have systematic effects on judgments and decisions. In line with CLT, if temporally distant events activate high-level construals, participants should prefer high-level rather than low-level action identi?cations for such events. Hence, a shift in focus to the future should promote greater preferences for a larger but delayed utility (a high-level construal) over a more immediate but smaller grati?cation (a low-level construal). Zimmerman’s self-regulation cyclical model can also explain the impact of FTP on delay of gratification. This model proposes that delay of gratification is a self-regulatory process that must be self-monitored during task performance and altered as needed. It involves three phases: during the forethought phase, individuals with a long FTP are more engaged in task analysis, and develop self-motivational beliefs to achieve delay goals; during the performance phase, adopting an FTP is associated with individuals engaging in volitional control processes such as self-instruction, self-recording, and self-experimentation; during the self-re?ection phase, in term of delay goals, having an extended FTP is characterized by evaluating one’s action and progress, examining causal attributions, evaluating the level of satisfaction with task completion, and developing an adaptive or defensive reaction toward the performance. Apart from the behavioral mechanism, delay of gratification and FTP involve similar neural mechanism, like ventral prefrontal-striatum circuitry. In addition, the insula and striatum involve in the assess of delay reward: ventroanterior regions were involved in predicting immediate rewards and dorsoposterior regions were involved in predicting future rewards. Researchers suggest that the areas within the limbic loop, such as ventral striatum, are involved in immediate time prediction. On the other hand, areas within the cognitive and motor loops, including dorsal striatum, are involved in future time prediction. Future studies need to further enrich theoretical research on delay of gratification, elaborate its complicated relationship with every dimensions of time perspective, and explore same and different neurophysiology mechanisms as FTP to facilitate its practical value.

Key words: delay of gratification, self-regulation, future time perspective, physiological mechanism

摘要： 延迟满足是个体为获得更有价值的奖励结果，坚持目标行为而推迟即时性满足的倾向与行为。其产生机制在很大程度上基于未来取向的自我调节。未来时间洞察力对延迟满足的作用可由期望-价值理论、解释水平理论和自我调节周期模型等多种理论进行解释。除行为层面的机制，未来时间洞察力与延迟满足涉及腹侧额叶-纹状体环路等相似的脑机制。未来研究需深化和丰富延迟满足的理论机制，明确与时间洞察力各维度的复杂关系，探究与时间洞察力相同的生理神经机制，促进其应用于社会实践。

关键词: 延迟满足, 自我调节, 未来时间洞察力, 生理机制