Temporal discounting: Basic research and the analysis of socially important behavior

Recent basic research on human temporal discounting is reviewed to illustra te procedures, summarize key findings, and draw parallels with both nonhuma n animal research and conceptual writings on self-control. Lessons derived from this research are then applied to the challenge of analyzing socially important behaviors such as drug abuse, eating and exercise, and impulsiven ess associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Attending to the broader temporal context in which behavior occurs may aid in the analys is of socially important behavior. Applying this perspective to the study o f behavior in natural environments also highlights the importance of combin ing methodological flexibility with conceptual rigor to promote the extensi on of applied behavior analysis to a broader array of socially important be haviors.