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.
Lane
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SD
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
Cherek
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DR
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*