Unlocking Aspirational Future Selves – Mental Simulation and its Affective-Cognitive Mechanisms towards Health-Conscious Behavior
(A2026-133106)

AUTHORS

Laura-Sophie Grunert, Johannes Gutenberg- Universit�t Mainz; Frank Huber, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

ABSTRACT

In an era in which consumers routinely track their steps, monitor their sleep, and receive AI-driven health advice via their smart devices, digital health applications have become central to everyday self-regulation. Sustaining medium- and long-term commitment to goals, how-ever, requires continuous reinforcement of motivation and behavioral intention. As digital health tools increasingly shape how individuals pursue and maintain health-related goals, understanding the psychological mechanisms that make such tools effective is more im-portant than ever. Given this, our research investigates the extent to which the direction of prefactuals embedded in health-prevention apps can influence the intention to behave health-consciously. Moreover, we examine the affective and cognitive mechanisms through which these mental simulations shape users’ intentions to engage in health-promoting actions. Based on the findings, user-centered applications can be designed.