Dynamic Choice
Updated 2026-09-10
INTRODUCTION
English translation pending.
CORE DEFINITION
Dynamic choice problems are cases where each step in a sequence of choices, taken alone, serves the agent's concerns well, yet the sequence as a whole serves those concerns badly; the trouble lies in the fact that choice is spread out over time. Standard treatments involve time-biased preferences, intransitivity, plans, resoluteness, and commitment devices.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Review the whole path: rather than checking each step's optimality, ask whether the sequence departs from the original goal. - Commit in advance: set constraints in advance to lock in options against your future tempted self. - Spot temptation: mark options that look locally attractive but damage long-run interests when repeated.
Anchor fast decisions
The key is that stepwise optimality and overall optimality come apart: when preferences drift over time, or when the overall goal is vague and revisable, the option that is best at each moment by the then-current preferences can concatenate into a destination you never wanted. Local rationality does not accumulate into global rationality.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- plato.stanford.eduhttps://plato.stanford.edu/entries/dynamic-choice/verified
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