Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 25, 2026
07:47
Measuring Delay Discounting in Humans Using an Adjusting Amount Task
Published on: January 9, 2016
16.1K
Problematic Internet Users' Discounting Behaviors Reflect an Inability to Delay Gratification, Not Risk Taking
Qi Li1, Moqian Tian1,2, Jamie Taxer3
11 Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology , Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China .
Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking
|February 20, 2016
Summary
Individuals with problematic Internet use (PIU) show greater impulsivity related to delaying gratification, not risk-taking. This suggests PIU impulsivity is specific to delayed outcomes, challenging general impulsivity trait theories.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Problematic Internet use (PIU) is increasingly recognized, with established links to impulse control disorder (ICD) behaviors.
- Understanding the specific nature of impulsivity in PIU is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether ICDs in individuals with PIU are characterized by an inability to delay gratification or a tendency towards risk-taking.
- To compare delay and probability discounting between PIU individuals and controls.
Main Methods:
- Utilized delay and probability discounting tasks to assess subjective value of rewards.
- Compared discounting behavior between individuals with PIU and a control group under varying monetary gain/loss conditions.
Main Results:
- A significant positive correlation was found between PIU and impulsivity scores.
- PIU individuals exhibited steeper discounting of delayed rewards compared to controls, irrespective of reward sign or amount.
- No significant differences in probability discounting were observed between groups.
Conclusions:
- PIU is associated with heightened impulsivity specifically related to delayed gratification, not risk-taking.
- Findings suggest impulsivity in PIU is context-dependent, challenging the notion of impulsivity as a generalized trait.
Related Concept Videos
02:05Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping
45.1K
People can go to great lengths to protect their self-image and present themselves in ways that they want others to see them. Sociologist Erving Goffman presented the idea that a person is like an actor on a stage. Calling his theory dramaturgy, Goffman believed that we use “impression management” to present ourselves to others as we hope to be perceived. Each situation is a new scene, and individuals perform different roles depending on who is present (Goffman, 1959). Think about...
45.1K
02:04Bullying
9.0K
A modern form of aggression is bullying. As you learn in your study of child development, socializing and playing with other children is beneficial for children’s psychological development. However, as you may have experienced as a child, not all play behavior has positive outcomes. Some children are aggressive and want to play roughly. Other children are selfish and do not want to share toys. One form of negative social interactions among children that has become a national concern is...
9.0K
01:19Introduction to Psychological Disorders
1.6K
Abnormal behavior, often referred to as mental illness, results from changes in brain function that influence thought patterns, behaviors, and social interactions. Psychologists and psychiatrists typically assess abnormal behavior using three primary criteria: deviance, maladaptation, and personal distress, particularly when these traits persist over long periods.
Deviant Behavior
Deviance in behavior refers to actions or thought patterns that significantly diverge from societal norms or...
Deviant Behavior
Deviance in behavior refers to actions or thought patterns that significantly diverge from societal norms or...
1.6K
01:25Beck's Cognitive Therapy
520
Cognitive therapy is a psychological approach designed to address distortions in thinking, which can lead to negative emotions and unrealistic beliefs. These cognitive distortions often influence how individuals interpret and respond to situations, exacerbating emotional distress. Below are some prevalent cognitive distortions, their characteristics, and examples of how they manifest in thought processes.
Arbitrary Inference
Arbitrary inference involves making conclusions without sufficient...
Arbitrary Inference
Arbitrary inference involves making conclusions without sufficient...
520
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
19.0K
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
19.0K
01:24Operant Conditioning Intervention
629
Operant conditioning serves as a foundational principle in therapeutic interventions aimed at modifying maladaptive behaviors. Central to this approach is the notion that behaviors, both adaptive and maladaptive, are learned through reinforcement. By analyzing the environmental factors that reinforce problematic behaviors, clinicians can design interventions to weaken these reinforcements and replace maladaptive behaviors with healthier alternatives.
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...
629