A New Method for Quantifying Outcomes in Discounting.

Abstract

Discounting has been defined as a decrease in the subjective value of an outcome as the delay to or uncertainty of receiving the outcome increases. Previous research has not quantified consumable and non-consumable outcomes in similar units. The purpose of the present study is to validate an approach to quantifying various rewards that allows for the comparison of qualitatively different rewards on a quantitatively similar scale.