risk-taking
Definition
Risk-taking is the behavior of making decisions under conditions of uncertainty where outcomes are unknown. An important distinction exists between overall risk-taking behavior and risk adjustment, which refers to the ability to adjust decisions based on new information and feedback in decision-making contexts. Superior social cognitive abilities in childhood, particularly the capacity to attribute false beliefs to others as measured through Theory of Mind tasks, are positively associated with better risk adjustment in adolescence as measured by the Cambridge Gambling Task, even after controlling for sex, ethnicity, verbal ability, family income, parental education, and emotional and behavioral problems.
Sources: Tsomokos & Flouri (2023)
Related Terms
Applications
Risk-taking and Social Cognitive Abilities
Superior social cognitive abilities in childhood, specifically the capacity to attribute false beliefs to others, are positively associated with better risk adjustment during adolescent decision-making. This relationship persists after controlling for family income, parental education, and verbal ability, suggesting that early social skills predict the ability to adjust strategies based on feedback and cognitive flexibility rather than overall impulsive risk-taking behavior.
Sources: Tsomokos & Flouri (2023)
Risk-taking and Theory of Mind
Children who demonstrated superior Theory of Mind abilities in childhood scored higher on risk adjustment tasks in adolescence, supporting the Social-Motivational Flexibility Model.
Sources: Tsomokos & Flouri (2023)
