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Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development pp 1474Cite as

Temporal Discounting

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Synonyms

Impulsivity; Self-control; Time-delay discounting

Definition

The phenomenon in which the value of a reward decreases as the time delay until its receipt increases.

Description

Temporal discounting refers to the phenomenon in which the subjective value of some reward loses its magnitude when the given reward is delayed (see [2]). Similar to the notion of “delayed gratification,” relatively high degrees of discounting are synonymous with impulsivity. On the contrary, when individuals demonstrate a sustained interest and motivation in a delayed reward, they are said to have less discounting, and thereby more self-control. Temporal discounting may be measured via two assessment methods: (1) hypothetical choice trials or (2) choices with deliverable outcomes. During hypothetical choice trials, individuals are presented with the option between a hypothetical smaller sooner reward (e.g., $5 now) and some larger delayed alternative (e.g., $10 in a week). These hypothetical choices...

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References

  1. Barkley, R. A., Edwards, G., Laneri, M., Fletcher, K., & Metevia, L. (2001). Executive functioning, temporal discounting, and sense of time in adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 29, 541–556.

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  6. Olson, E. A., Hooper, C. J., Collins, P., & Luciana, M. (2007). Adolescents’ performance on delay and probability discounting tasks: Contributions of age, intelligence, executive functioning, and self-reported externalizing behavior. Personality and Individual Difference, 43, 1886–1897.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Behavioral Science, 4001 Dole Human Development Center, University of Kansas, 1000 Sunnyside Ave, Room 4048, Lawrence, KS, 66045–7555, USA

    Derek D. Reed

  2. The May Institute, Inc., 41 Pacella Park Drive, Randolph, MA, 02368, USA

    James K. Luiselli

Authors
  1. Derek D. Reed
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  2. James K. Luiselli
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Neurology, Learning and Behavior Center, 230 South 500 East, Suite 100, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84102, USA

    Sam Goldstein Ph.D.

  2. Department of Psychology MS 2C6, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA

    Jack A. Naglieri Ph.D. (Professor of Psychology) (Professor of Psychology)

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© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

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Reed, D.D., Luiselli, J.K. (2011). Temporal Discounting. In: Goldstein, S., Naglieri, J.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_3162

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