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Updated: Jun 28, 2026
07:47
Measuring Delay Discounting in Humans Using an Adjusting Amount Task
Published on: January 9, 2016
Adolescents' performance on delay and probability discounting tasks: contributions of age, intelligence, executive
Elizabeth A Olson1, Catalina J Hooper, Paul Collins
1Department of Psychology and Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus, Minneapolis, MN, US.
Personality and Individual Differences
|November 4, 2008
Summary
Adolescents
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Behavioral Economics
Background:
- Adolescent decision-making involves evaluating rewards over time and likelihood.
- Understanding cognitive processes like delay and probability discounting is crucial for this age group.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate age-related changes in delay and probability discounting in adolescents.
- To examine the relationship between discounting behaviors and cognitive abilities (intelligence, executive function) and behavioral outcomes (internalizing, externalizing).
Main Methods:
- Healthy adolescents (ages 9-23) completed delay and probability discounting tasks.
- Participants also underwent assessments of verbal/nonverbal intelligence, executive functioning, and self-reported behaviors.
Main Results:
- Delay discounting, but not probability discounting, significantly decreased with age.
- Delay discounting correlated with verbal intelligence and performance on executive function tasks (Go-NoGo, Iowa Gambling Task).
- Probability discounting was uniquely associated with externalizing behaviors.
Conclusions:
- Delay and probability discounting represent distinct cognitive processes in adolescents.
- Age, cognitive abilities, and behavior differentially relate to these two forms of discounting.
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