study

• aim


  To further previous research and investigate the link between brain function and areas of the brain, including ventral striatum in risk-taking behaviour
• method


  Quasi-experiment in lab conditions
• sample


  19 Right-handed adults aged 25 to 30 (11 females and 8 males)

  22 right-handed adolescence aged between 13 and 17 (11 females and 11 males)

  20 adolescence, and 17 adults analysed

  Self-selected through poster adverts
• procedure


  Initial meeting in lab for neuro imaging and to gain consent

  Give details about monthly spending money and where it came from

  Participants were shown an on-screen spinner

  One half showed the amount of money they could gain the second half showed the amount they could lose

  192 gambles total with 24 gain, and 24 lose fixed

  Participants are thoroughly trained on the task before the FMRI scan
• results


  Teens are more likely to gamble when the expected value is higher, which is correlated to Great activation in the ventral striatum

  Teens and adults act similarly when no risks involved

  All trials with positive expected values were accepted significantly more than trials with an expected value of zero.

  Adolescents are more likely to engage in advantage, risk-taking
• AO2


  The ventral striatum is links to impulsivity, which is more active in teenagers

  Less activity in the prefrontal cortex in adolescence, which is linked to decision-making and consequence generating meaning teens see less consequences of their actions

  Teenage ventral striatum is a more responsive to rewards than adults shown by fMRI

  Risk-taking is not a social phenomenon on, but biological as monthly expenditure wasn’t found to be significant in risk-taking