The degree to which real and hypothetical rewards were discounted across delays ranging from 6 hr to 1 year was explored in a within-subjects design. An adjusting-amounts procedure was used to estimate the subjective value of real and hypothetical rewards at each delay. A hyperbolic discounting function provided a significantly better fit to individual participants' preferences than did an exponential function. No significant effect of reward type on degree of hyperbolic discounting or area under the discounting curves was detected. These findings offer some support for the validity of using hypothetical rewards to estimate discounting rates in substance-abusing and other populations, but caution is suggested because this support is gleaned from a failure to detect an effect of reward type.
Article
Delay Discounting of Real and Hypothetical Rewards
Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology
Document Type
Article
Publisher
American Psychological Association
Publication Date
1-1-2003
Disciplines
Abstract
Citation Information
Madden, G. J., Begotka, A. M., Raiff, B. R., & Kastern L. L. (2003). Delay discounting of real and hypothetical rewards. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 11, 139-145.
Originally published by the American Psychological Association.
This article may not exactly replicate the final version published in the APA journal. It is not the copy of record.
Publisher's PDF available for purchase through remote link.
Note: Greg Madden was affiliated with the University of Wisconsin at time of publication.