title: Risky decision making from childhood through adulthood: Contributions of learning and sensitivity to negative feedback.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: Kathryn L
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5715-6597
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Humphreys
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
authors.forename: Eva H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Telzer
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Oregon.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Flannery
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: Bonnie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Goff
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Columbia University.
authors.forename: Laurel
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gabard-Durnam
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: Dylan G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Gee
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: Steve S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Columbia University.
authors.forename: Nim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tottenham
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003657:Decision Making; D004644:Emotions; D005107:Explosions; D005260:Female; D000068156:Formative Feedback; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking; D055815:Young Adult