The opportunity cost model: Automaticity, individual differences, and self-control resources

Abstract

I contend that Kurzban et al.'s model is silent on three issues. First, the extent to which opportunity-cost computations are automatic or deliberative is unclear. Second, the role of individual differences in biasing opportunity-cost computations needs elucidating. Third, in the absence of “next-best” tasks, task persistence will be indefinite, which seems unfeasible, so perhaps integration with a limited-resource account is necessary.