scholarly journals Applying an Evolutionary Approach of Risk-Taking Behaviors in Adolescents

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier Salas-Rodríguez ◽  
Luis Gómez-Jacinto ◽  
Isabel Hombrados-Mendieta ◽  
Natalia del Pino-Brunet
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Risk Perception ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Lower Risk ◽  
Female Adolescents ◽  
Risk Propensity ◽  
Male Adolescents ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Expected Benefits ◽  
Risk Taking Behaviors

Risk-taking behaviors in adolescents have traditionally been analyzed from a psychopathological approach, with an excessive emphasis on their potential costs. From evolutionary theory we propose that risk-taking behaviors can be means through which adolescents obtain potential benefits for survival and reproduction. The present study analyses sex differences in three contexts of risk (i.e., risk propensity, expected benefits and risk perception) in the evolutionary specific domains and the predictive value of these domains over risk-taking behaviors, separately in female and male adolescents. 749 adolescents (females = 370) valued their risk perception, expected benefits and risk propensity through the Evolutionary Domain-Specific Risk Scale, as well as their engagement in risk-taking behaviors through the Risky Behavior Questionnaire. Male adolescents showed lower risk perception in two evolutionary domains, expected higher benefits in two other domains and showed higher risk propensity in six domains. Female adolescents showed lower risk perception in two domains. Additionally, risk perception, expected benefits and risk propensity in the evolutionary domains predicted the engagement in risk-taking behaviors in male adolescents, whereas in female adolescents only expected benefits and risk propensity showed a predictive effect over risk-taking behaviors. These results suggest the potential role of evolutionary mechanisms on risk-taking behaviors in adolescents. Results have practical implications for interventions programs aimed at reducing risk-taking behaviors. In addition to considering sex differences, intervention programs should consider alternative behaviors through which adolescents can reach their evolutionary goals, and handle the risks related to those behaviors that cannot be replaced but have potential benefits for adolescents.

Information sources about face-to-face meetings with people from the Internet: Gendered influence on adolescents’ risk perception and behavior

2021 ◽  
pp. 146144482110148
Author(s):  
Vojtěch Mýlek ◽  
Lenka Dedkova ◽  
David Smahel
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
News Media ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Female Adolescents ◽  
Male Adolescents ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Other Information ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Practical Recommendations

Adolescents commonly make new social connections online that sometimes result in face-to-face meetings. Despite potential benefits, risk-focused discourse dominates public debates and shapes information shared by sources important for adolescents—news media, preventive programs, peers, parents, and teachers. Our study examines how information about face-to-face meetings from these sources relates to adolescents’ risk perception and engagement in such meetings. Using a sample of 707 Czech adolescents (aged 11–16 years, 46% male), we analyzed these effects for male and female adolescents to reflect the gendered nature of the risk-focused discourse. Male adolescents’ risk perception was not affected by information from any source. Female adolescents’ risk perception was negatively affected by information peers with prior experience with face-to-face meetings but not by other information sources. Female adolescents also perceived face-to-face meetings as riskier in general. We discuss gender differences and the limited impact of information sources on risk perception and provide practical recommendations.

scholarly journals How is maternal survival related to reproductive success?

1999 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 236-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. T. Wang ◽  
Ralph Hertwig
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Explanatory Power ◽  
Maternal Survival ◽  
Target Article ◽  
Risk Taking Behaviors

Campbell's target article is a stimulating attempt to extend our understanding of sex differences in risk-taking behaviors. However, Campbell does not succeed in demonstrating that her account adds explanatory power to those (e.g., Daly & Wilson 1994) previously proposed. In particular, little effort was made to explore the causal links between survival (staying alive) and reproduction.

Presidential Risk Orientation and Force Employment Decisions

2016 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 511-536 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Macdonald ◽  
Jacquelyn Schneider
Keyword(s):  
Risk Taking ◽  
Important Variable ◽  
Afghanistan War ◽  
Risk Propensity ◽  
Employment Decisions ◽  
President Obama ◽  
Operational Code ◽  
Situational Variables ◽  
Risk Taking Behaviors ◽  
President Bush

In this article, we explore how presidential risk orientations affect force employment decisions through an analysis of the use of unmanned weaponry during the Bush and Obama administrations. We hypothesize that the conception of risk plays an integral part in this choice of weaponry. In order to examine our hypothesis, we utilize the verbs-in-context system of operational code analysis to quantify the risk propensities of President Bush and President Obama during the Afghanistan War from 2001 to 2013. At the aggregate level, we find that the two presidents exhibit unique interpretations of risk with respect to manned versus unmanned weaponry. We further disaggregate our data to examine whether these preferences are fixed or fluctuate with situational changes. We find that President Bush’s risk calculations are influenced by a number of situational variables, highlighting the importance of changing decision contexts in explaining risk behaviors. President Obama’s risk calculations, on the other hand, remain constant over time lending credence to the importance of overall risk propensity in determining risk-taking behaviors. Our findings indicate that risk is an important variable in explaining the means of force employed during conflict, and that the source of this behavior can vary by leader.

ADHD-associated risk-taking: The role of benefit and risk perceptions

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S533-S533
Author(s):  
Y. Pollak ◽  
H. Aloni ◽  
R. Shoham
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Risky Behaviors ◽  
Adhd Symptoms ◽  
Benefit Perception ◽  
Risk Taking Behaviors ◽  
Benefit And Risk

Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with increased engagement in risk-taking behaviors. The present study aimed to further our knowledge regarding the extent and the reasons for the association between ADHD symptoms and risk-taking, using a theory-driven behavioral economy theory. The Domain Specific Risk-Taking scale was used, on which 244 adults rated the likelihood of engagement in a range of risky behaviors, across five real life domains, as well as the magnitude of perceived benefit and risk they ascribed to these behaviors. Level of ADHD symptoms was positively correlated with engagement in risky behaviors and benefit perception, but not with risk perception. Mediation analysis confirmed that benefit perception, but not risk perception, mediated the association between ADHD symptoms and engagement in risk-taking behaviors (Fig. 1). These findings emphasize the role of benefit perception in facilitating risk-taking by people with ADHD symptoms.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Risk Perception: Unrealistic Optimism or Realistic Expectancy

1999 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 731-738 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo Todesco ◽  
Stephen B. Hillman
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Low Risk ◽  
Unrealistic Optimism ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Personal Risk ◽  
Older Adolescents ◽  
Risk Takers ◽  
Risk Taking Behaviors

The current study investigated risk perception and Unrealistic Optimism as a function of involvement in risk. 74 undergraduate students were asked to rate how likely they were to encounter various negative consequences relative to various comparison targets (child, peer, and parent) and specified their actual involvement in risk-taking. Over-all, 37 High and 37 Low Risk-takers rated harmful events similarly, adding support for disputing the hypothesis that risk-takers consider themselves to be invulnerable. When these older adolescents compared themselves with children, they rated their personal risk of engaging in the health threatening behaviors as higher. Adolescents can realistically appraise the differences between themselves and children and view themselves as more likely to encounter the negative outcomes of risk-taking behaviors. Implications are discussed.

Sex Differences in Educational Encouragement and Academic Achievement

2012 ◽  
Vol 111 (1) ◽  
pp. 149-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aqeel Khan
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Secondary School Students ◽  
Female Adolescents ◽  
School Students ◽  
Male Adolescents ◽  
Self Reports ◽  
Predictors Of Academic Achievement

Sex differences in educational encouragement and their predictiveness of academic achievement were examined among 442 secondary school students ( M age = 13.2 yr., SD = 1.9). Education-related encouragement received from mothers, fathers, friends, and teachers was assessed. Academic achievement was based on student self-reports and grades. Female adolescents reported receiving statistically significantly more educational encouragement from their mothers, fathers, friends, and teachers than did male adolescents. In regression, sex and educational encouragement from parents, friends, and teachers were found to be significant predictors of academic achievement.

scholarly journals The Relationship between Risk Propensity, Risk Perception and Risk-Taking Behaviour in an Emerging Market

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fazelina Sahul Hamid ◽  
Gary John Rangel ◽  
Fauziah M. Taib ◽  
Ramayah Thurasamy
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Investment Decision ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Thought Processes ◽  
Risk Propensity ◽  
Risky Behaviour ◽  
Behavioural Characteristics ◽  
The Relationship

This paper reports evidence to support a relationship between risk propensity, risk perception, and risk-taking behaviour of investors in an emerging market. Primary data were gathered using a validated structured questionnaire, which was self-administered by respondents: there were 162 investors from 8 stockbroking companies. A multiple regression was used to test the direct and indirect effects of the identified behavioural characteristics on investment decision. Risk propensity was found to be positively related to risk-taking behaviour whereas risk perception was negatively related to risk-taking behaviour. It was further found that risk perception partially mediates the effect of propensity to take risk. This suggests that the perceptual framing of a situational context in the investors’ thought processes reduces but it does not totally overwhelm the innate personality traits with respect to either the investor’s risk-seeking or risk-averseness. The tendency to engage in risky behaviour is more psychological in nature. The implications of the research are further explored.  

Sex differences in aggression: Origins and implications for sexual integration of combat forces

2009 ◽  
Vol 32 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 270-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kingsley R. Browne
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Role Theory ◽  
Social Role ◽  
Social Role Theory ◽  
The Social ◽  
Risk Taking Behaviors ◽  
Female Soldiers ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Military Combat

AbstractSex differences in aggressive and risk-taking behaviors have practical implications for sexual integration of military combat units. The social-role theory implies that female soldiers will adapt to their role and display the same aggressive and risk-taking propensities as their male comrades. If sex differences reflect evolved propensities, however, adoption of the soldier's role is unlikely to eliminate those differences.

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