Increased risk taking in relation to chronic stress in adults

• Verfasst von: Ceccato, Smarandita [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Kudielka, Brigitte M. [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Schwieren, Christiane [VerfasserIn]
• Titel: Increased risk taking in relation to chronic stress in adults
• Verf.angabe: Smarandita Ceccato, Brigitte M. Kudielka and Christiane Schwieren
• E-Jahr: 2016
• Jahr: 29 January 2016
• Umfang: 13 S.
• Fussnoten: Gesehen am 10.11.2020
• Titel Quelle: Enthalten in: Frontiers in psychology
• Ort Quelle: Lausanne : Frontiers Research Foundation, 2008
• Jahr Quelle: 2016
• Band/Heft Quelle: 6(2016), Seite 1-13
• ISSN Quelle: 1664-1078
• DOI: doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.02036
• Datenträger: Online-Ressource
• Sprache: eng
• Sach-SW: ∙ Gender Differences
• Sach-SW: ∙ Hair Cortisol
• Sach-SW: ∙ Risk
• Sach-SW: ∙ Self-reported Measures
• Sach-SW: chronic stress
• K10plus-PPN: 1738302008

Abstract

Chronic stress is a public health problem that affects a significant part of the population. While the physiological damage it causes is under ongoing scrutiny, its behavioral effects have been overlooked. This is one of the first studies to examine the relation between chronic stress and decision-making, using a standard lottery paradigm. We measured learning-independent risk taking in the gain domain through binary choices between financially incentivized lotteries. We then measured self-reported chronic stress with the Trier Inventory for the Assessment of Chronic Stress (TICS). We additionally collected hair samples in a subsample of volunteers, in order to quantify chronic cortisol exposure. We discovered a significant, positive correlation between self-reported chronic stress and risk taking that is stronger for women than for men. This confirms part of the findings in acute stress research that show a connection between higher stress and increased risk taking. However, unlike the biologically-based results from acute stress research, we did not identify a significant relation between hair cortisol and behavior. In line with previous literature, we found a clear gender difference in risk taking and self-reports: women generally take less risk and report slightly higher stress levels than men. We conclude that perceived chronic stress can impact behavior in risky situations.