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Beyond discounting: the tradeoff model of intertemporal choice

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  • Scholten, Marc
  • Read, Daniel

Abstract

Research on intertemporal judgments and choices between a smaller-sooner and a larger-later outcome has revealed many anomalies to the discounted-utility model. Attempts to account for these anomalies within the discounting paradigm have resulted in convoluted and psychologically opaque models. We therefore develop a new model of intertemporal choice, the tradeoff model, in which choice results from a tradeoff between the perceived time difference (interval) and the perceived outcome difference (compensation). This model is both more parsimonious and more intuitive than any rival discounting model of comparable scope. Moreover, it accurately describes archival data as well as data from a new experiment.

Suggested Citation

  • Scholten, Marc & Read, Daniel, 2006. "Beyond discounting: the tradeoff model of intertemporal choice," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 22710, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:22710
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    Cited by:

    1. Daniel R. Cavagnaro & Gabriel J. Aranovich & Samuel M. McClure & Mark A. Pitt & Jay I. Myung, 2016. "On the functional form of temporal discounting: An optimized adaptive test," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 52(3), pages 233-254, June.
    2. al-Nowaihi, Ali & Dhami, Sanjit, 2009. "A value function that explains the magnitude and sign effects," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 105(3), pages 224-229, December.
    3. Jih-Jeng Huang & Masahiro Inuiguchi, 2015. "Diminishing Utility Decision Model for Weighting Criteria," International Journal of Information Technology & Decision Making (IJITDM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 14(06), pages 1263-1284, November.
    4. Yusuke Kinari & Fumio Ohtake & Yoshiro Tsutsui, 2009. "Time discounting: Declining impatience and interval effect," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 39(1), pages 87-112, August.
    5. Nicole Senecal & Teresa Wang & Elizabeth Thompson & Joseph W. Kable, 2012. "Normative arguments from experts and peers reduce delay discounting," Judgment and Decision Making, Society for Judgment and Decision Making, vol. 7(5), pages 568-589, September.
    6. Salvador Cruz Rambaud & Isabel González Fernández & Viviana Ventre, 2018. "Modeling the inconsistency in intertemporal choice: the generalized Weibull discount function and its extension," Annals of Finance, Springer, vol. 14(3), pages 415-426, August.
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