Peers increase adolescent risk taking by enhancing activity in the brain’s reward circuitry

Abstract

The presence of peers increases risk taking among adolescents but not adults. We posited that the presence of peers may promote adolescent risk taking by sensitizing brain regions associated with the anticipation of potential rewards. Using fMRI, we measured brain activity in adolescents, young adults, and adults as they made decisions in a simulated driving task. Participants completed one task block while alone, and one block while their performance was observed by peers in an adjacent room. During peer observation blocks, adolescents selectively demonstrated greater activation in reward-related brain regions, including the ventral striatum and orbitofrontal cortex, and activity in these regions predicted subsequent risk taking. Brain areas associated with cognitive control were less strongly recruited by adolescents than adults, but activity in the cognitive control system did not vary with social context. Results suggest that the presence of peers increases adolescent risk taking by heightening sensitivity to the potential reward value of risky decisions.

Age differences in the prosocial influence effect

“…For example, studies have examined the effect of social influence on adolescents' driving risks (Chein et al., 2011; Gardner & Steinberg, 2005), substance use (Caouette & Ewing, 2017; Lundborg, 2006) and risk perception (Knoll et al., 2015). Studies that have compared age groups have found that susceptibility to these types of social influence is high in childhood and/or adolescence and then decreases with age (Chein et al., 2011; Gardner & Steinberg, 2005; Knoll et al., 2015). The current study suggests that there is a similar decrease in social influence across age with regard to positive, prosocial behaviour, indicating that young people may be especially likely to be positively socially influenced.…”

“…The heightened susceptibility to social influence in adolescents, relative to adults, paired with increased independence from their family, can lead adolescents to take more risks when with their peers. For example, adolescents take more risks in a simulated driving game when being watched by friends, whereas adults do not (Chein, Albert, O'Brien, Uckert, & Steinberg, 2011; Gardner & Steinberg, 2005). Knowing that peers are engaging in substance use (alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs) increases the likelihood of adolescent substance use (Lundborg, 2006).…”

Social status strategy in early adolescent girls: Testosterone and value-based decision making

“…Despite uncertainty in the specific mechanisms, these changes appear to increase sensation-seeking propensity and subsequently contribute to greater tendencies toward exploration and risk taking, especially in the presence of peers (Steinberg 2008). Indeed, reward-seeking behavior increases broadly at puberty (Braams et al, 2015;Spielberg et al, 2014) and this type of sensation seeking is tied to risk-taking behavior in children, adolescents, and adults (Chein et al, 2011). Still, despite key advances, the developmental underpinnings of adolescent risk taking associated with hormonal maturation have not been thoroughly explored.…”

“…Areas of the brain associated with reward processing overlap significantly with socio-emotional circuits, and evidence suggests that peer acceptance in adolescence may be processed similarly to other rewards (Chein et al, 2011). In recent research comparing children, adolescents, and adults in their tendency to take risks, the presence of peers was shown to activate reward circuitry (ventral striatum; orbitofrontal cortex) specifically for adolescents, resulting in increased risk-taking behavior (Chein et al, 2011).…”

Pre-Frontal Cortex Activity of Male Drivers in the Presence of Passengers During Simulated Driving: An Exploratory Functional Near- Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) Study

“…The study of brain activity is a promising means of examining this passenger effect on crash risk. Findings from neural imaging studies suggest that the presence of peers increases adolescent risk taking by heightening reward sensitivity (Chein et al, 2011). Neuroimaging studies examining peer influence on teenagers have primarily been conducted using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) (Chein et al, 2011;Schweizer et al, 2013).…”