title: Unique prediction of cannabis use severity and behaviors by delay discounting and behavioral economic demand.
abstract: Few studies have simultaneously evaluated delay discounting and behavioral economic demand to determine their unique contribution to drug use. A recent study in cannabis users found that monetary delay discounting uniquely predicted cannabis dependence symptoms, whereas cannabis demand uniquely predicted use frequency. This study sought to replicate and extend this research by evaluating delay discounting and behavioral economic demand measures for multiple commodities and including a use quantity measure. Amazon.com's Mechanical Turk was used to sample individuals reporting recent cannabis use (n=64) and controls (n=72). Participants completed measures of monetary delay discounting as well as alcohol and cannabis delay discounting and demand. Cannabis users and controls did not differ on monetary delay discounting or alcohol delay discounting and demand. Among cannabis users, regression analyses indicated that cannabis delay discounting uniquely predicted use severity, whereas cannabis demand uniquely predicted use frequency and quantity. These effects remained significant after controlling for other delay discounting and demand measures. This research replicates previous outcomes relating delay discounting and demand with cannabis use and extends them by accounting for the contribution of multiple commodities. This research also demonstrates the ability of online crowdsourcing methods to complement traditional human laboratory techniques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences, 171 Funkhouser Drive, Lexington, KY 40506-0044, USA. Electronic address: justrickland@uky.edu.
authors.forename: Justin C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Strickland
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences, 171 Funkhouser Drive, Lexington, KY 40506-0044, USA; Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 1100 Veterans Drive, Medical Behavioral Science Building Room 140, Lexington, KY 40536-0086, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 3470 Blazer Parkway, Lexington, KY 40509-1810, USA.
authors.forename: Joshua A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lile
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences, 171 Funkhouser Drive, Lexington, KY 40506-0044, USA; Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 1100 Veterans Drive, Medical Behavioral Science Building Room 140, Lexington, KY 40536-0086, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 3470 Blazer Parkway, Lexington, KY 40509-1810, USA.
authors.forename: William W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Stoops
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D063045:Crowdsourcing / Q000379:methods; D065786:Delay Discounting; D060909:Economics, Behavioral; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol
keywords: Behavioral economics; Crowdsourcing; Demand curve; Drug; Substance use