Health factors that influence sustainable behaviour in a single-player resource management game

Abstract

Social and economic hardships are linked to increased mental and physical health morbidities. Choices in such circumstances can have long-lasting consequences that can support or limit future opportunities to secure needed resources and means of support. Here, we investigated whether unhealthy behaviours and risk factors are associated with difficulties maintaining a vulnerable but valuable resource over time. Success involved exploring the impacts of harvests on the resource to strike a balance between collecting rewards now and the viability of the resource for the future; missteps could severely constrain future options. We find that difficulty in navigating in this kind of punishing environment is strongly associated with rapid discounting of future rewards and in addition self-reported hazardous alcohol use, mood, and psychological distress. Further, good outcomes are linked to financial literacy and a sense of general well-being. These findings suggest that health experiences and risk factors likely moderate the ability to navigate complex, environments where behaviour impacts long-term future options.