risk taking behavior

(Newser) - Looks like teens have a built-in defense mechanism against peer pressure: New research shows that the part of the brain involved in decision-making develops significantly in the early teen years, the Telegraph reports. Researchers from the University of Oregon found that activity in the ventral striatum, a part of the...

(Newser) - If you’re good at poker, you may have your DNA to thank for it. A new study published today found that people with MAOA-L, the so-called “warrior gene,” were both more likely to take risks, and more likely to be able to identify advantageous gambles. Past studies...

(Newser) - People with damage to their amygdala, a deep part of the brain that governs basic value judgments, are more likely than others to take big risks for uncertain payoffs. A new study pitted 2 women with amygdala-specific lesions against 6 controls in tests of their willingness to gamble. The control...