Question

Direction: Read the following passage and answer the THREE questions that follow.
Socrates believed that akrasia (meaning procrastination) was, strictly speaking, impossible, since we could not want what is bad for us; if we act against our own interests, it must be because we don’t know what’s right. Loewenstein, similarly, is inclined to see the procrastinator as led astray by the “visceral” rewards of the present. As the nineteenth-century Scottish economist John Rae put it, “The prospects of future good, which future years may hold on us, seem at such a moment dull and dubious, and are apt to be slighted, for objects on which the daylight is falling strongly, and showing us in all their freshness just within our grasp.” Loewenstein also suggests that our memory for the intensity of visceral rewards is deficient: when we put off preparing for that meeting by telling ourselves that we’ll do it tomorrow, we fail to take into account that tomorrow the temptation to put off work will be just as strong.
Ignorance might also affect procrastination through what the social scientist Jon Elster calls “the planning fallacy.” Elster thinks that people underestimate the time “it will take them to complete a given task, partly because they fail to take account of how long it has taken them to complete similar projects in the past and partly because they rely on smooth scenarios in which accidents or unforeseen problems never occur.”
Which of the following is the meaning that comes CLOSEST to “our memory for the intensity of visceral rewards is deficient” as suggested by Loewenstein?

• A. Our brain does not support us in recalling intense memories while procrastinating further.
• B. Our brain partially captures the memory of rewards we get by procrastination.
• C. Our brain does not capture the intensity of pleasure we get by procrastination.
• D. Our brain does not support us with memories which can stop us from procrastinating further.
• E. Our brain does not differentiate memories of different rewards we get by procrastinating.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

To answer the question regarding the meaning closest to "our memory for the intensity of visceral rewards is deficient" as suggested by Loewenstein, we need to analyze the statement in the context of the passage.

1. **Understanding the Statement:** The statement implies that when we remember the rewards associated with certain actions, especially those "visceral" or immediate rewards, our memory does not adequately capture how intense these rewards are. This deficiency affects decision-making, particularly in procrastination, because we don't accurately recall how good the immediate reward felt.
2. **Contextual Analysis:** Loewenstein suggests that when we procrastinate, our decision to delay tasks is influenced by failing to recall the exact intensity of the satisfaction or pleasure we might have felt earlier due to immediate, gratifying actions. This lack of strong memory for past rewards means we might continue to procrastinate because we underestimate this power of immediate satisfaction.
3. **Evaluating Options:**
   • **Option 1:** "Our brain does not support us in recalling intense memories while procrastinating further" suggests our brain has trouble recalling intense memories in general, which isn't specific to the context of visceral rewards and isn't entirely aligned with Loewenstein's idea.
   • **Option 2:** "Our brain partially captures the memory of rewards we get by procrastination" indicates incomplete capturing, but doesn't directly pertain to the failure of recalling the intensity of these rewards.
   • **Option 3:** "Our brain does not capture the intensity of pleasure we get by procrastination" aligns well with the idea that we fail to recall how strong the reward feeling was, thus fitting the context of Loewenstein's statement.
   • **Option 4:** "Our brain does not support us with memories which can stop us from procrastinating further" fits the context, as the deficient memory for the intensity of visceral rewards means we're not deterred from procrastinating further; hence this is a closer match.
   • **Option 5:** "Our brain does not differentiate memories of different rewards we get by procrastination" isn't about intensity recall, so it doesn't fit well.
4. **Conclusion:** The correct option is "Our brain does not support us with memories which can stop us from procrastinating further," as it closely captures how the failure to remember the intensity of rewards affects our ability to avoid further procrastination. This aligns well with Loewenstein's suggestion in the passage.

Answer 2

To determine the meaning that comes closest to “our memory for the intensity of visceral rewards is deficient,” as suggested by Loewenstein, we need to analyze the context provided in the passage. Loewenstein likens this deficiency to how individuals procrastinate by failing to remember that the temptation remains strong the next day. This suggests an inability to remember cues that would prevent procrastination. Among the options:

• Option 1: “Our brain does not support us in recalling intense memories while procrastinating further.” - Focuses on recalling intense memories without specifying the prevention of procrastination.
• Option 2: “Our brain partially captures the memory of rewards we get by procrastination.” - Implies that memories of rewards are only partially captured, which doesn't address the ability to prevent procrastination.
• Option 3: “Our brain does not capture the intensity of pleasure we get by procrastination.” - Suggests a lack of remembering pleasure, which doesn't directly connect to stopping procrastination.
• Option 4: “Our brain does not support us with memories which can stop us from procrastinating further.” - Directly aligns with the idea that our memory's deficiency hinders the ability to prevent procrastination.
• Option 5: “Our brain does not differentiate memories of different rewards we get by procrastinating.” - Relates to discerning between rewards rather than preventing procrastination.

The correct interpretation based on the context given is Option 4: “Our brain does not support us with memories which can stop us from procrastinating further.”