@article{ref1,
title="Risky decision making from childhood through adulthood: contributions of learning and sensitivity to negative feedback",
journal="Emotion",
year="2015",
author="Humphreys, Kathryn L. and Telzer, Eva H. and Flannery, Jessica and Goff, Bonnie and Gabard-Durnam, Laurel and Gee, Dylan G. and Lee, Steve S. and Tottenham, Nim",
volume="16",
number="1",
pages="101-109",
abstract="Decision making in the context of risk is a complex and dynamic process that changes across development. Here, we assessed the influence of sensitivity to negative feedback (e.g., loss) and learning on age-related changes in risky decision making, both of which show unique developmental trajectories. In the present study, we examined risky decision making in 216 individuals, ranging in age from 3-26 years, using the balloon emotional learning task (BELT), a computerized task in which participants pump up a series of virtual balloons to earn points, but risk balloon explosion on each trial, which results in no points. It is important to note that there were 3 balloon conditions, signified by different balloon colors, ranging from quick- to slow-to-explode, and participants could learn the color-condition pairings through task experience. Overall, we found age-related increases in pumps made and points earned. However, in the quick-to-explode condition, there was a nonlinear adolescent peak for points earned. Follow-up analyses indicated that this adolescent phenotype occurred at the developmental intersection of linear age-related increases in learning and decreases in sensitivity to negative feedback. Adolescence was marked by intermediate values on both these processes. These findings show that a combination of linearly changing processes can result in nonlinear changes in risky decision making, the adolescent-specific nature of which is associated with developmental improvements in learning and reduced sensitivity to negative feedback. (PsycINFO Database Record<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1528-3542",
doi="10.1037/emo0000116",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/emo0000116"
}