Risk Taking in Adolescence
, Introduction
Spear, chapter 6 (pp. 130): “Adolescents are risk-takers”
But what is risk-taking?
Risk-taking can be defined as engaging in real-world behaviours with high subjective
desirability but high potential for harm (Geier & Luna, 2009)
◦ E.g. unsafe sex, use of illegal drugs, dangerous/drunk driving, minor criminal
activities (Eaton et al. 2008)
◦ For some adolescents, risk-taking may intensify into a “deviant lifestyle”
(Spear pp. 131) but for most, risk-taking as defined above decreases in the
transition from (extended) adolescence into adulthood
Risk-taking is a highly conserved characteristic of adolescence (or, peri-puberty)
Experimental studies show peri-pubertal rats and mice approach novel and
potentially risky aspects of their environment more quickly than older/younger
animals (e.g. Adriani, Chiarotti & Laviola 1998 Behav Neurosci; Douglas, Varlinskaya
& Spear 2003 Physiol Behav)
In the wild, rodents and primates begin to explore outside the nest at this age (e.g.
in preparation to emigrate)
Having individuals that are risk-taking enables a species as a whole to find new food
sources and reduce inbreeding
In humans, (adolescent) risky behaviour is thought to confer wider adaptive benefits
to the individual such as increased status
Risk-taking can be defined as engaging in real-world behaviours with high subjective
desirability but high potential for harm (Geier & Luna, 2009)
◦ E.g. dangerous/drunk driving, unsafe sex, use of illegal drugs, minor criminal
activities (Eaton et al. 2008)
This is rather a colloquial definition
Definition refers to naturalistic behaviours (which are embedded in complex
contexts), not experimentally-defined variables
In cognitive terms, there are multiple reasons why these so-called “risky” behaviours
could occur
Think back to Choudhury 2009 SCAN review (lecture 1b). Adolescence often seems to be
characterised as a “public health problem”.
Adults do plenty of things that have a high potential for harm (e.g. not exercising, drinking
every day, having a baby, being too stressed out). However, possibly because these things
have lower “subjective desirability” (they are not enjoyable) they are not colloquially
referred to as “risky”.
, Introduction
Spear, chapter 6 (pp. 130): “Adolescents are risk-takers”
But what is risk-taking?
Risk-taking can be defined as engaging in real-world behaviours with high subjective
desirability but high potential for harm (Geier & Luna, 2009)
◦ E.g. unsafe sex, use of illegal drugs, dangerous/drunk driving, minor criminal
activities (Eaton et al. 2008)
◦ For some adolescents, risk-taking may intensify into a “deviant lifestyle”
(Spear pp. 131) but for most, risk-taking as defined above decreases in the
transition from (extended) adolescence into adulthood
Risk-taking is a highly conserved characteristic of adolescence (or, peri-puberty)
Experimental studies show peri-pubertal rats and mice approach novel and
potentially risky aspects of their environment more quickly than older/younger
animals (e.g. Adriani, Chiarotti & Laviola 1998 Behav Neurosci; Douglas, Varlinskaya
& Spear 2003 Physiol Behav)
In the wild, rodents and primates begin to explore outside the nest at this age (e.g.
in preparation to emigrate)
Having individuals that are risk-taking enables a species as a whole to find new food
sources and reduce inbreeding
In humans, (adolescent) risky behaviour is thought to confer wider adaptive benefits
to the individual such as increased status
Risk-taking can be defined as engaging in real-world behaviours with high subjective
desirability but high potential for harm (Geier & Luna, 2009)
◦ E.g. dangerous/drunk driving, unsafe sex, use of illegal drugs, minor criminal
activities (Eaton et al. 2008)
This is rather a colloquial definition
Definition refers to naturalistic behaviours (which are embedded in complex
contexts), not experimentally-defined variables
In cognitive terms, there are multiple reasons why these so-called “risky” behaviours
could occur
Think back to Choudhury 2009 SCAN review (lecture 1b). Adolescence often seems to be
characterised as a “public health problem”.
Adults do plenty of things that have a high potential for harm (e.g. not exercising, drinking
every day, having a baby, being too stressed out). However, possibly because these things
have lower “subjective desirability” (they are not enjoyable) they are not colloquially
referred to as “risky”.
