The Experiential Discounting Task is sensitive to cigarette-smoking status and correlates with a measure of delay discounting

Abstract

This research compared three different measures of discounting in adult cigarette smokers (n=15; consumed >or=20 cigarettes per day) and nonsmokers (n=15; self-reported never smokers). Participants completed the Experiential Discounting Task (EDT) and question-based measures of delay and probability discounting. The Experiential Discounting Task is a new real-time choice procedure purported to assess delay discounting. The Experiential Discounting Task provides choice consequences (i.e. delays, probabilities, and monetary rewards delivered from a coin dispenser) during choice sessions, whereas the question-based measures are hypothetical (i.e. delays, probabilities, and rewards are not directly experienced). Smokers discounted more than nonsmokers on all three measures. Additionally, the Experiential Discounting Task was significantly correlated with the question-based measure of delay discounting but not probability discounting. These results suggest all three discounting procedures are sensitive to cigarette-smoking status among adult smokers and nonsmokers and that the Experiential Discounting Task may be more comparable to measures of delay discounting than probability discounting.