Risky Behavior Flashcards
What brain regions are in the Limbic System?
- Hippocampus
- Amygdala
- Thalamus
- Hypothalamus`
What is the nucleus accumbens?
- A major component of the Ventral Striatum
- Located in the basal forebrain
- Important in reward processing
Who sends input to the nucleus accumbens?
Prefrontal cortex & limbic system
What age group is most sensitive to rewards?
Adolescents are more sensitive
What is Gain-Framed?
Choose between keeping a smaller guaranteed prize, or a larger prize with 50-75% likelihood of winning
What is Loss-Framed?
Chose between losing a smaller guaranteed prize or a larger prize with a 25-30% likelihood of loosing
What is the limbic system?
It is compromised of medial brain structures responsible for behavioral & emotional responses associated with survival
What is the nucleus accumbens sensitive to?
Neurotransmitters & hormones
How does risky behavior change through lifespan?
- Risky-taking behaviors increase into adolescence
- decrease going into adulthood
What age-range is the least susceptible to framing effect?
younger children prefer the risky choice
What kind of framing do adolescents & adults prefer?
- riskier option when the choices are presented with loss frames
- Less risky options when choices are presented with gain frames
What is risky behavior?
Any behavior that has some chance of positive & negative consequences
What did we learn in the Slovic Study? The 1 abt switches
- The best strategy was to pull 5 switches at least
- Most participants flipped switches until disaster
- There were differences in age & gender
- Older boys tended to flip more switches
What can stress do to the brain?
- Chronic stress can delay brain development of regions important for inhibitory control
What are some positive consequences?
- Increase in social status
- Resource acquisition
- Positive affect
- More mating opportunities
What are some negative consequences?
- Decrease in social status
- Negative affect
- No mating opportunities
- Injury, death, & illness
What is the Dual Systems Model?
- Risky behavior is due to an imbalance in activity & structural maturation between the social-emotional system & the executive control network
What do peers have to do with risky behaviors?
- emotional arousal is a predictor
- peers are markers for “acceptable behaviors”
- youth will engage in behaviors similar to what their peers engage in
What is the likelihood of engaging in risky behavior influenced by?
Influenced by sensation seeking & impulsivity
What is the takeaway of the Brahms Study?
- Neural responses to rewards peak in adolescence
- peak in BART explosions occur in adolescence
- there are no sex differences
What is the Chein’s Study about? the spot light driving game
- adolescents & adults behaved the same when alone
- adolescents took more risks with peers than when alone
- they crashed more
What kind of behavior can fear influence?
- Risky behavior
- fear of consequences
- fear modulates exploratory & withdrawal behaviors
What is the somatic marker hypothesis>
Emotional responses to positive & negative consequences guide decision making in risky & certain situations
What brain regions are more activated in the different age groups?
- adults more in PFC
- Adolescents more in VS & OFC in the peer condition
