Propensity for Risk Taking Across the Life Span and Around the Globe. (February 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mata, Rui; Josef, Anika K.; Hertwig, Ralph
• Is Part Of: Psychological science. Volume 27:Number 2(2016:Feb.)
• Page Start: 231
• Page End: 243
• Publication Date: 2016-02
• Subjects: risk taking -- adult development -- gender differences -- cross-cultural differences -- open materials; Psychology -- Periodicals; 150.5
• DOI: 10.1177/0956797615617811
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0956-7976

Abstract

Past empirical work suggests that aging is associated with decreases in risk taking. But are such effects universal? Life-history theory suggests that the link between age and risk taking is a function of specific reproductive strategies that can be more or less risky depending on the ecology. We assessed variation in the age-risk curve using World Values Survey data from 77 countries ( N = 147, 118). The results suggest that propensity for risk taking tends to decline across the life span in the vast majority of countries. In addition, there is systematic variation among countries: Countries in which hardship (e.g., high infant mortality) is higher are characterized by higher levels of risk taking and flatter age-risk curves. These findings suggest that hardship may function as a cue to guide life-history strategies. Age-risk relations thus cannot be understood without reference to the demands and affordances of the environment.