eximentes

Eximentes are a theoretical construct in cognitive science describing brief, outcome-focused mental simulations that people spontaneously generate to evaluate options. These simulations are typically episodic and vivid, lasting only a few seconds, and are situated within the current goals, constraints, and emotional state of the decision maker. They differ from longer-range planning or explicit future forecasting by their immediacy and narrow scope, often focusing on a single attribute such as time, effort, or relief.

Origin and terminology: The term eximentes was proposed in a 2020 theoretical paper by cognitive scientist A. Navarro to distinguish these concise simulations from general mental imagery and from broader prospection. Since then, eximentes have been discussed as part of decision-making frameworks that emphasize fast, affect-laden judgments. Some scholars locate eximentes within prospection, others treat them as a distinct subcomponent of counterfactual thinking.

Characteristics and mechanisms: Eximentes are typically triggered by imminent choices, are biased toward salient consequences, and rely on accessible information. They are influenced by current goals and affect, and may be reinforced by reinforcement learning signals; neurologically, they likely recruit episodic future thinking processes in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, though direct measurement remains an area of study.

Examples and applications: In daily life, eximentes help select between routes, tasks, or social actions by quickly simulating the most emotionally impactful outcome. In research, tasks that elicit rapid self-report of imagined outcomes or neuroimaging studies can help characterize their frequency and content, contributing to models of real-time decision making.

See also: mental simulation, prospective thinking, counterfactual thinking, decision making.