Hunger and socioeconomic background additively predict impulsivity in humans

• DOI: 10.1007/s12144-019-0141-7
• Publication Date: 2019-02-05T19:06:11Z
• Authors: C. Allen; D. Nettle
• Keywords: Delay Discounting; Temporal discounting; Social Deprivation

Abstract Impulsivity refers to the valuation of future rewards relative immediate ones. From an evolutionary perspective, we should expect impulsivity be sensitive current state organism (for example, hunger), and also its long-term developmental history. There is evidence that both hunger childhood socioeconomic deprivation are individually associated with impulsivity, but it not known how these combine. For acute might over-ride social gradients in baseline or alternatively, individuals who have experienced greater respond more strongly hunger. We aimed investigate whether act additively interactively three studies utilising delay discounting tasks. Childhood was measured using postcode a self-report measure. In two experimentally manipulated ( n = 95 & 93 respectively), third simply natural variation. employed standard hypothetical task studies, behavioural delays 330). Although individual varied which predictors were statistically significant, when meta-analysed them, clear pattern emerged. Hunger predicted impulsivity; effects additive rather than interactive.