The Day Preconstruction Method: A novel method to strengthen Future Self-Continuity

This article presents the Day Preconstruction Method (DPM), a writing exercise designed to strengthen individuals' connection to their future selves. Across four preregistered randomized controlled experiments (N = 1,624), we tested whether the DPM strengthens future self-continuity and influences real monetary choices and valued living. DPM reliably increased future self-continuity in all studies, with positive affect and vividness as consistent predictors. No effects were observed on real monetary delay discounting. In Study 4, however, participants who imagined a distant future day showed increases in valued living over one week, an effect partially mediated by future self-continuity. These findings suggest that simple, scalable text-based interventions can strengthen psychological connectedness to the future self and support value-aligned behavior, even when economic behavior remains unchanged.