Interaction of reward seeking and self-regulation in the prediction of risk taking: A cross-national test of the dual systems model.

Abstract

In the present analysis, we test the dual systems model of adolescent risk taking in a cross-national sample of over 5,200 individuals aged 10 through 30 (M = 17.05 years, SD = 5.91) from 11 countries. We examine whether reward seeking and self-regulation make independent, additive, or interactive contributions to risk taking, and ask whether these relations differ as a function of age and culture. To compare across cultures, we conduct 2 sets of analyses: 1 comparing individuals from Asian and Western countries, and 1 comparing individuals from low- and high-GDP countries. Results indicate that reward seeking and self-regulation have largely independent associations with risk taking and that the influences of each variable on risk taking are not unique to adolescence, but that their link to risk taking varies across cultures. (PsycINFO Database Record

The Adolescent's Competency for Interacting with Alcohol as a Determinant of Intake: The Role of Self-Regulation

“…Regulation is assumed to be an essential procedural component of the competency for managing alcohol intake and other chronic health concerns (Clark et al, 2001; Hull and Slone, 2004; Duell et al, 2016). Thus, the worst scenario for primary prevention would consist of an adolescent with a low level of self-regulation, and a profile of dysregulatory behavior (negative proactivity toward alcohol intake) in interaction with a dysregulatory context (actively encouraging consumption), thereby establishing a high probability of consumption and nonadherence to preventive treatments.…”

When do peers influence adolescent males' risk taking? Examining decision making under conditions of risk and ambiguity

“…The current study makes a novel examination of the relationship between variables specified in the dual systems model to behavior under ambiguity. It was predicted that a model consisting of reward sensitivity, risk perception, and inhibitory control would display a good fit to choices under these conditions, as had been shown for risk in previous studies (Duell et al, ). Specifically, it was predicted that reward sensitivity and risk perception (i.e., the benefit of a choice outweighs the risk) would display a positive relationship to gambling behavior, whereas inhibitory control would display a negative relationship to gambling.…”

“…Specifically, it was predicted that reward sensitivity and risk perception (i.e., the benefit of a choice outweighs the risk) would display a positive relationship to gambling behavior, whereas inhibitory control would display a negative relationship to gambling. Moreover, as age has been found to predict risk taking independently of neurobiological factors (Duell et al, ), this variable was included as a predictor of gambling behavior. As such, Hypothesis 3 focused on developmental factors and stated that age, reward sensitivity, and risk perception (i.e., benefit of choice outweighs risk) positively predict gambling choices, whereas inhibitory control negatively predicts gambling choices.…”

“…The dual systems model has seen considerable support from behavioral studies examining decision making in adolescents (e.g., Braams, van Duijvenvoorde, Peper, & Crone, ; O'Brien, Albert, Chein, & Steinberg, ). In a multinational study of over 5,000 adolescents, Duell et al () found a positive relationship between reward sensitivity and risk behavior, whereas they found a negative association between inhibitory control and measures of risk taking. However, these associations were found to be independent of participants' age and therefore require that age be considered as a distinct predictor of risk behavior (Duell et al, ).…”

“…In a multinational study of over 5,000 adolescents, Duell et al () found a positive relationship between reward sensitivity and risk behavior, whereas they found a negative association between inhibitory control and measures of risk taking. However, these associations were found to be independent of participants' age and therefore require that age be considered as a distinct predictor of risk behavior (Duell et al, ). Studies examining age‐related differences in risk taking have found that this behavior peaks around the ages of 14–15 (Cauffman et al, ), also identified as “middle adolescence” (Spear, ) and declines towards early adulthood (Shulman et al, ).…”