Abstract
Excessive choice of smaller-immediate rewards has been positively correlated with a host of negative health outcomes such as addiction, gambling, and overeating. Meta-analytic research suggests that stress is a contextual variable that can contribute to impulsive choice. The strength of the relationship between stress and impulsive decision making may be largely moderated by how these variables are measured. Despite clinical relevance, the relationship between daily stress and decision making is not well understood. The current investigation sought to further characterize the relationship between acute stress and impulsive decision making using the Daily Stress Inventory and the 27-item Monetary Choice Questionnaire. Results from 69 adults revealed a positive correlation between daily stressors and impulsive decision making. Future directions are discussed aimed at experimental evaluations of the effects of stress on impulsive decision making.
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Data Availability
The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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The first and second author collaborated on the conceptual design of the study, supervised data collection, and wrote each section of the article. The first, second, and fourth author conducted data analysis. This project counted toward fulfillment of a master’s degree for the third author. The third, fifth, and sixth authors collected data, edited the manuscript, and provided feedback. The fourth author also contributed to multiple revisions of the article. The study was conducted under Institutional Review Board approval granted by the University of Saint Joseph.
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Approval was obtained from the ethics committee of University of Saint Joseph. The procedures used in this study adhere to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki.
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Samuel Hauslaib is now at South Shore Psychological Services, INC.. We thank Kaston Carpenter for his helpful statistical advice.
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Courtemanche, A.B., Brewer, A.T., Hauslaib, S. et al. An Evaluation of Daily Perceived Stress and Impulsive Decision Making: A Pilot Study. Psychol Rec 74, 145–149 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40732-023-00584-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40732-023-00584-8