Effects of Choice Bundling on Valuation of Delayed Gains and Losses in Cigarette Smokers

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The present study will investigate the effects of choice bundling, in which a single choice produces a series of repeating consequences, on valuation of delayed monetary gains and losses in an online panel of cigarette smokers.

Detailed Description
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Choice bundling, in which a single choice produces a series of repeating consequences, has been shown to increase valuation of delayed monetary and non-monetary gains. Interventions derived from this manipulation may be an effective method for mitigating the elevated delay discounting rates observed in cigarette smokers. No prior work, however, has investigated whether effects of choice bundling generalize to reward losses. In the present study, an online panel of cigarette smokers, recruited using Ipsos, will complete assessments for either monetary gains or losses (randomly assigned). In Step 1, participants will complete a delay-discounting task to establish Effective Delay 50 (ED50), or the delay required for a monetary outcome to lose half of its value. In Step 2, participants will complete three conditions of an adjusting-amount task, choosing between a smaller, sooner (SS) adjusting amount and a larger, later (LL) fixed amount. The bundle size (i.e., number of consequences) will be manipulated across conditions, where a single choice will produce either 1 (control), 3, or 9 consequences over time (ascending/descending order counterbalanced). The delay to the first LL amount in each condition, as well as the intervals between all additional SS and LL amounts (where applicable), will be set to individual participants' ED50 values from Step 1 to control for differences in discounting of gains and losses.

Official Title
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Effects of Choice Bundling on Valuation of Delayed Gains and Losses in Cigarette Smokers

Conditions
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Cigarette Smoking

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Bundle-size 1
* Behavioral: Bundle-size 3
* Behavioral: Bundle-size 9


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: currently smoke at least 10 cigarettes per day have smoked at least 100 cigarettes (lifetime), and are 21 years of age or older. Exclusion Criteria: Inaccurate identification of usual brand cigarette's as menthol or non-menthol

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 21 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Basic Science
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: Participants are randomly assigned to either a gains or losses group and subsequently complete conditions at bundle-sizes 1, 3, and 9 (within-subjects, order counterbalanced).
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Gains, Ascending Bundle-Size Order<br>Participants will complete the choice bundling adjusting-amount task for monetary gains in an ascending order of bundle size. | Behavioral: Bundle-size 1<br>* In this condition, each choice in the adjusting-amount task produces only a single consequence (e.g., lose $900 in 1 year).<br>Behavioral: Bundle-size 3<br>* In this condition, each choice in the adjusting-amount task produce a series of three consequences over time. o hold total amount constant across conditions, the $900 available in the bundle-size 1 condition will be distributed equally across all consequences in the series. (e.g., lose $300 in 1 year, lose $300 in 2 years, lose $300 in 3 years).<br>Behavioral: Bundle-size 9<br>* In this condition, each choice in the adjusting-amount task produce a series of nine consequences over time. To hold total amount constant across conditions, the $900 available in the bundle-size 1 condition will be distributed equally across all consequences in the series. (e.g., lose $100 in 1 year, lose $100 in 2 years, lose $100 in 3 years...lose $100 in 9 years).<br>|
| Experimental: Gains, Descending Bundle-Size Order<br>Participants will complete the choice bundling adjusting-amount task for monetary gains in a descending order of bundle size. | Behavioral: Bundle-size 1<br>* In this condition, each choice in the adjusting-amount task produces only a single consequence (e.g., lose $900 in 1 year).<br>Behavioral: Bundle-size 3<br>* In this condition, each choice in the adjusting-amount task produce a series of three consequences over time. o hold total amount constant across conditions, the $900 available in the bundle-size 1 condition will be distributed equally across all consequences in the series. (e.g., lose $300 in 1 year, lose $300 in 2 years, lose $300 in 3 years).<br>Behavioral: Bundle-size 9<br>* In this condition, each choice in the adjusting-amount task produce a series of nine consequences over time. To hold total amount constant across conditions, the $900 available in the bundle-size 1 condition will be distributed equally across all consequences in the series. (e.g., lose $100 in 1 year, lose $100 in 2 years, lose $100 in 3 years...lose $100 in 9 years).<br>|
| Experimental: Losses, Ascending Bundle-Size Order<br>Participants will complete the choice bundling adjusting-amount task for monetary losses in an ascending order of bundle size. | Behavioral: Bundle-size 1<br>* In this condition, each choice in the adjusting-amount task produces only a single consequence (e.g., lose $900 in 1 year).<br>Behavioral: Bundle-size 3<br>* In this condition, each choice in the adjusting-amount task produce a series of three consequences over time. o hold total amount constant across conditions, the $900 available in the bundle-size 1 condition will be distributed equally across all consequences in the series. (e.g., lose $300 in 1 year, lose $300 in 2 years, lose $300 in 3 years).<br>Behavioral: Bundle-size 9<br>* In this condition, each choice in the adjusting-amount task produce a series of nine consequences over time. To hold total amount constant across conditions, the $900 available in the bundle-size 1 condition will be distributed equally across all consequences in the series. (e.g., lose $100 in 1 year, lose $100 in 2 years, lose $100 in 3 years...lose $100 in 9 years).<br>|
| Experimental: Losses, Descending Bundle-Size Order<br>Participants will complete the choice bundling adjusting-amount task for monetary losses in an ascending order of bundle size. | Behavioral: Bundle-size 1<br>* In this condition, each choice in the adjusting-amount task produces only a single consequence (e.g., lose $900 in 1 year).<br>Behavioral: Bundle-size 3<br>* In this condition, each choice in the adjusting-amount task produce a series of three consequences over time. o hold total amount constant across conditions, the $900 available in the bundle-size 1 condition will be distributed equally across all consequences in the series. (e.g., lose $300 in 1 year, lose $300 in 2 years, lose $300 in 3 years).<br>Behavioral: Bundle-size 9<br>* In this condition, each choice in the adjusting-amount task produce a series of nine consequences over time. To hold total amount constant across conditions, the $900 available in the bundle-size 1 condition will be distributed equally across all consequences in the series. (e.g., lose $100 in 1 year, lose $100 in 2 years, lose $100 in 3 years...lose $100 in 9 years).<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Indifference points | Participants complete three conditions of the adjusting-amount task (one at each bundle size), in which they choose between a larger, delayed amount ($900) and a smaller, immediate amount. Across trials, the smaller amount titrates until reaching an indifference point. This indifference point provides an index of the value of the larger option. For example, an indifference point of $300 indicates the larger, delayed amount as been discounted by two thirds. Higher values reflect less delay discounting. | 1 day (same session) | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Behavior, Smoking, Cigarette, Tobacco, Delay discounting, Intertemporal choice