Thinking about the future? Scientists say your brain treats it like a reward

Why do we imagine the future

Visualising future scenarios helps individuals anticipate the consequences of their actions and plan accordingly. However, people vary in how often they engage in this cognitive process.

Professor Ekrem Dere of Ruhr University Bochum and Sorbonne Université has developed a theory to explain why.

His findings, published in the journal Psychological Review on April 6, 2026, suggest that imagining the future can internally reward the brain, encouraging the habit.

“The benefit of future-oriented mental time travel is clear,” Dere said. “It allows us to be more successful and less stressed in our day-to-day lives, as the future becomes more predictable and easier to plan.”

A self-reinforcing process

Dere’s “self-reinforcement hypothesis” proposes that mental time travel follows a universal learning principle known as operant conditioning—where behaviours that are rewarded are more likely to be repeated.

According to the theory, when imagining the future appears to offer solutions to social or professional challenges, the brain’s reward system is activated. This not only strengthens memory of the planned actions but also increases the likelihood of engaging in such future-oriented thinking again.

The hypothesis can be tested using brain imaging techniques such as functional MRI. Individuals who frequently engage in mental time travel are expected to show a more responsive reward system, particularly in the mesolimbic dopamine pathway.

When the mind turns against itself

While the process can be beneficial, Dere warns that it may also have negative effects in certain psychological conditions.

“In a pathopsychological context, mental time travel can be hijacked by disease-preserving processes,” he said.

Instead of constructive planning, individuals may dwell on negative past experiences and project them into the future—a pattern known as catastrophising. This can lead to heightened anxiety, poor self-image, and avoidance behaviours, potentially making mental health disorders more persistent.

Dere emphasised the importance of therapeutic interventions that train individuals to engage in constructive and adaptive future thinking while recognising and interrupting harmful thought patterns.