Delay discounting: Concepts and measures.

Abstract

Delay discounting, one element which underlies decision-making, can be defined as the depreciation of the value of a reward related to the time that it takes to be released. High rates of delay discounting are found in subjects who are willing to forgo greater rewards available only after some length of time and who show a preference for smaller rewards that are available immediately. Widely used as a measure of impulsiveness, delay discounting can be evaluated using experimental tasks. The present review evaluated tasks of delay discounting, their features, measures of evaluation and anomalies, and some variables that can affect delay discounting results and applications in the study of individual and intra-individual differences.

Examining the relationship between obesity and cognitive function: A systematic literature review

“…However, given the variability in the comorbidities considered, research cannot yet conclude whether there is an independent relationship. Delay discounting, one component which underlies decision-making [51], is considered a measure of an individual's ability to delay smaller more immediate rewards for delayed larger rewards based on available information and feedback [37]. None of these tasks involved decisions around health behaviours.…”

Neural correlates of intertemporal choice in aggressive behavior

“…(i.e., is discounted) when associated with a temporal delay (Loewenstein, 1988;da Matta, Gonçalves, & Bizarro, 2012;Reynolds, 2006). People often perceive the subjective value of a delay-associated reward as lower than its objective value.…”

Do people adjust career choices according to socioeconomic conditions? An evolutionary analysis of future discounting.

“…This phenomenon has been studied by different fields, such as psychology, economics, biology, and criminology, among others, using various methods (Hardisty, & Weber, 2009;Matta, Gonçalves, & Bizarro, 2012;Muramatsu, & Fonseca, 2008). However, psychology has traditionally described these behaviors with terms such as impulsivity, myopia, or lack of self-control, assuming that discounting behaviors are dysfunctional, regardless of the situation, socioeconomic factors, and the age of the subject (Daly, & Wilson, 2005).…”