TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2015//
TI  - Risky decision making from childhood through adulthood: contributions of learning and sensitivity to negative feedback
JO  - Emotion
A1  - Humphreys, Kathryn L.
A1  - Telzer, Eva H.
A1  - Flannery, Jessica
A1  - Goff, Bonnie
A1  - Gabard-Durnam, Laurel
A1  - Gee, Dylan G.
A1  - Lee, Steve S.
A1  - Tottenham, Nim
SP  - 101
EP  - 109
VL  - 16
IS  - 1
N2  - 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>
LA  - en
SN  - 1528-3542
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/emo0000116
ID  - ref1
ER  -