Table 3 Example quotations by behavioral economic topic (e.g., present bias, information salience, overoptimism, and loss aversion) from qualitative follow-up with enrolled U.S. young adults (N = 43)

Present bias

Prefer to receive immediate reward

“Because I am not working. Because of my situation. Now honestly, I would want to get the $3000 in a year and just work, and I know I have that coming. But because of my situation, I would take the $1000 because I need it.” Male, 24

Needing to address current situation

“Because for people who do not have a job, if you got time for the $3000, then you’re going to wait. But if you need money, and depending on your situation, you would take that $1000. It all depends on your situation.” Male, 23

“$1000 tomorrow. Honestly ‘cause I need money. I got to take care of things, and properly find housing, so…” Female, 20

“The reason why I say $1000 is that pretty much, what you say, next day, right? Yeah, next day. Um, it’s because … if you were to choose the $3000 you know next year or whatever, you could somehow, you know, flip that $1000 that next day and earn that before the next year comes by.” Male, 21

Expecting one could earn faster by investing the smaller, immediate amount

“I’d take that $1000 any day ‘cause I can turn that $1000 into $3000 within that time, you feel me? Probably more. So, I wouldn’t even need to wait. By the time, I’d probably overlap that three, you know what I mean?” Male, 22

Prefer to receive delayed reward

“The $3000 in one year…. I might need it a year from now. A thousand would be gone the same day! That’s pretty much it. I get the $1000 tomorrow, it’s gone. I owe some people some money…” Female, 24

Expecting money in-hand would be spent unwisely

“$3000 in a year…. Because one, if I get $1000 in one lump sum, I’m going to spend it.” Female, 20

“Because, first off, $1000 tomorrow, it would… it sounds good, but realistically speaking, I would run through that money. …Yeah, so if a year from now, I can have $3000, plus me saving up towards the $3000, I can have more than $3000 in a year.” Female, 21

“Next year, $3000…. Cause if you take for the easy pay tomorrow… That $1000 might go quicker than just waiting on the year to come up with decent ideas of what you are going to do with that money. Or what you want to do with the money, period.” Male, 23

“Three… um… $3000 in the next year… Oh, I can use that and then I probably, you know, make a plan to have a certain amount of money by that time” Female, 23

Needing time to determine how to use

“I would…a year from now. There’s more money …. I could take that and flip that and make into something else. I can wait, be patient, you can’t always rush into things. That’s how you mess up.” Female, 22

Able to wait since preferring larger amount

“Why would I wait? …You get more money. I just look at it like that. The value is higher, so it’s like, to be patient, for a higher amount of money, sure.” Female, 22

“It’s more, and it’s like I already lived without it. You know what I mean? So, it wasn’t like it’s something I was expecting anyway, but if it’s, you know. I’m ok with delayed gratification, so…” Female, 24

“I would say $3000 in one year… ‘cause I ain’t having no $1000 all this time. And, I’m good. So, I can go for another year and get the three. God always said, ‘those who wait’, you know. More come to you. Don’t be greedy. Don’t rush it. Wait on it. And I’ve been doing merry all this time without a $1000, so might as well wait on that good three.” Male, 24

Able to wait since not urgently in need

Prefer not to wait for sex with a condom

“I’m not going to wait. So, if I give them that ultimatum, they be like OK, what are we going to do now? That’s too long. I shouldn’t be this ruthless. I’m really not this promiscuous.” Male, 24

Perceived excessively long duration

“I probably wouldn’t wait. ‘Cause it’s like if I’m into the girl and I’ve been trying to get with her for a while and I finally got the chance to get some and we don’t have a condom. I’m like, ugh, I’m trying to get the girl for years, so I’ll just go ahead and do it.” Male, 24

Too much when accounting for previous long wait

Prefer to wait for sex with a condom

“No. No. I don’t play those games. I’d wait. It ain’t that important. I just like to stay protected. If I don’t got no condom, I can’t do nothing with you. One thing I learned about this area right here is it’s the most highly populated HIV area in Baltimore. You got to definitely watch yourself, period, no matter where you go, but always, always protect yourself.” Male, 23

Protecting oneself is more important

“I’m going to just wait…. I’m going to be honest with you, ‘cause my life is more important. You know, I’ve a friend that unfortunately got caught up in a sticky situation. Her life has changed forever, and um, she’s devastated. And I can’t imagine.” Female, 22

“I’m not that pressed to have sex. Look, come back [in a few] days. I’m going to holler at you; you feel me? Yes sir.”

Male, 23

Not in urgent need for sex

“I would wait… definitely not have sex because I would feel convicted. Like fore you even to bring that up to me, like, I would be like, oh you’re right. You’re right. This is why we shake in those seats when we go for testing. That’s why. That conviction.” Male, 24

Worry of potential risk

Information salience

HIV is salient

“Yes, my childhood friend. Yeah, he has been in and out of the hospital multiple times before… I mean, he almost got to the point where he almost had AIDS. You know, because his T-cell count was so high… ‘Cause I’m sure, I know, I know that there isn’t a cure for HIV, but I know there is some very expensive meds to help it be undetected in your body.” Female, 22

Past acquaintances incurring hospital visits

“Um, they got pneumonia. It was really hard for them to shake and um, and sometimes lesions show. And I’ve seen a lot of domestic violence that has come as stem of that. Like, there are a lot of people here that have HIV. Like a lot … and I’ve seen them get beat up that they had this and it was revealed. Um, so it’s a lot…” Female, 24

Residents experiencing HIV and related violence

“One of them is my boyfriend that I’m with now. Yep, and the other one, is my best friend, my godmother, I know a lot of people with HIV. … I already know a lot about it and know like you can live a healthy, happy life, you feel what I’m saying… I already know so much about it.” Male, 24

Current acquaintances living healthily with HIV

“You’d be surprised, but most of the people I know get tested for HIV.” Female, 22

Social norms among peers

“Every time that certain friends of mine have sex with someone, they always want to wear a condom because they are aware of the percentage of how high a person may get an STD from having sex.” Male, 21

HIV is not salient

“I don’t think if I knew someone that they would tell me that. Because that’s kind of like private.” Female, 20

Private information not shared with others

Overoptimism

Unable to stick to condom use or HIV test decision

“Yes. There have been times, OK. I go get the HIV test ‘cause I know that I can be careless at times because I’m in the moment. There have been times where I’m like, “I really want to get tested” and don’t go because I fear the results. You know what I mean.” Male, 24

Inhibited by fear

“Yeah ‘cause when you have it in your mind to do it, but once you do it…, it’s just like you forget all about it.” Female, 18

Unable to focus on prior plans in the moment

“Um, yeah! Yeah, that happened. Oh my goodness… You believe in love at first sight?” Female, 23

“No, that’s never happened. We live in Baltimore…This is the city of AIDS and HIV. No, too scary. So, umm, no, I mean, even when I was really scared, like last year. Cause I had oral sex with someone last year. I took a note to the nurse in the ER and just, just said, I need this [test]. So yeah…” Female, 24

Feeling awkward and uncomfortable in the moment

Able to stick to condom use or HIV test decision

“Because, like, I don’t have time for no STDs or, you know, things out here are like, a couple things in my life, where I’ve had friends and family, my aunt died from HIV/AIDS. My friend, not my friend, my cousin, she always getting stuff like chlamydia and trichomonas, stuff you can’t get rid of.” Female, 20

Determined to prevent long-lasting infection

“No. Actually when the people came here to HIV test people here, I was the only one who got tested that day.” Female, 21

Willing to stand alone

“No, I always get HIV test. Every time I get a [test]… every 6 months I get an HIV test and a STD test. When I first I started having intercourse, it’s the first thing my mother told me: ‘Every six months, you go get yourself checked’. You don’t need to have social security or nothing. You go to the free clinic on Caroline. By yourself. So yeah…” Female, 22

Part of health care routine

Loss aversion

High aversion

“I’d say 10. I’d be very disappointed to find out that I had it, knowing that I’ve had a lot of practice and protected sex.” Male, 23

Self-blame and regret since having tried to remain negative

“I’ve had so many conversations with myself about this. I knew exactly what I was doing while I did it, still did it, and then for that, for something like that to happen, I would check out. I wouldn’t have sex with no one. I wouldn’t be dealing with people because I never wanted to have it and I feel it’s like a consequence for being, um, careless, and I feel like I would just live that punishment out.” Male, 24

“A 10. I would be very upset. I mean, just because I feel as though I let myself down. You know, and I wasn’t taking the necessary precautions to, you know, stop that from happening.” Female, 22

“Oh, I would be disappointed, no lie though, I would be hurting. I be losing my mind, honestly. 10. I would be, I would stop talking to people and everything.” Male, 19

Unable to cope

“Very upset. I wouldn’t take it out. The thing is… I’d be very upset, I’d be very disappointed, I’d be very depressed because I never wanted to; nobody ever wants to get it. If I got it, there’s nothing you can do. I would be inconsolable.” Male, 24

“I would be disappointed in the person that I trusted, like because, when you have sex, there should be trust and if you can’t trust that person, you shouldn’t go to bed with that person. Honestly.” Female, 20

Broken trust

Low aversion

“…I’d have to rethink and look back and say, ‘I know people that got that shit and they still living a healthy, happy life.’ I just got to get my medicine, you know, stay, you know, focused. Learn more about it and shit…” Male, 24

Still able to live happily