Analysis of risk taking in adults with a history of high risk behavior.
Antisocial behavior often involves frequent risk-taking, e.g. excessive substance use and criminality, which may lead to destructive consequences. In the present study, adults with a history of high-risk behavior (primarily drug dependence and conduct disorder) and matched controls worked on a novel laboratory task designed to measure risk-taking. The contingencies of the task were such that choosing a 'risky' response option resulted in a net loss of monetary earnings compared to a safer, more conservative response alternative. The risky option offered a low probability of a large monetary reward or a high probability of a smaller monetary loss. The non-risky option protected current earnings. High-risk history subjects chose the risky option more often, had lower overall earnings, and were more likely to persist in making (losing) risky responses following a single gain on the risky option. The data support theories of maladaptive behavior focused on hypersensitivity to reward and insensitivity to aversive events.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center - Houston, 1300 Moursund Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA. slane@mis.uth.tmc.edu
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D019955:Conduct Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011594:Psychometrics; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012919:Social Behavior; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*