Delay discounting, cognitive ability, and personality: What matters?

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Behavioral Economics
• Individual Differences Psychology

Background:

• Steep delay discounting is linked to addiction, obesity, and risky behaviors.
• It is often attributed to impulsiveness or poor self-control, but cognitive deficits are also suspected.
• The Human Connectome Project offers a large dataset to investigate these associations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between delay discounting and cognitive abilities.
• To explore the link between delay discounting and Big Five personality traits.
• To determine if delay discounting is an independent individual difference characteristic.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Human Connectome Project (N=1,206).
• Assessed delay discounting using two measures.
• Administered 11 cognitive tasks and measured Big Five personality traits.
• Controlled for income and education levels.

Main Results:

• Delay discounting showed small correlations with only four of 11 cognitive abilities (r < .20).
• Two delay discounting measures formed their own distinct factor.
• No significant correlations were found between delay discounting and Neuroticism or Conscientiousness.

Conclusions:

• Steep delay discounting is not simply a marker of general cognitive impairment.
• It is not directly explained by psychometric impulsiveness or lack of self-control.
• Delay discounting represents a unique and important individual difference.