The Influence of Harm Avoidance and Impulsivity on Delay Discounting Rates

High rates of delay discounting are associated with a range of disorders characterized by behavioral disinhibition, such as substance abuse and childhood behavioral problems. The current study extends the research of the personality correlates of delay discounting by examining its association with two domains of disinhibited personality, impulsivity and low harm avoidance. Trait measures of impulsivity and harm avoidance as well as a delay discounting task were administered to 669 young adult subjects (350 male, 319 female). The primary hypothesis was that a combination of high impulsivity and low harm avoidance would be associated with the highest delay discounting rates. Delay discounting rates were significantly associated with high levels of impulsivity. Counterintuitively, the highest rates of delay discounting were associated with high rates of impulsivity and high rates of harm avoidance. Results suggest that those high in impulsivity and harm avoidance are more sensitive to immediate rewards. These results are novel and suggest more complex processes involved when considering a choice between an immediate and a delayed reward that may require longer waiting periods, which itself may be anxiety providing and perceived as potentially harmful.