Risk assessments by adolescents with school behavior problems.

摘要

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the appropriateness of Prospect Theory for explaining adolescent misbehavior and whether Prospect Theory can be used to identify individual differences in decisions to engage in misconduct. Specifically, this study examined how at-risk adolescents' estimates of the likelihood of success or failure for engaging in several types of misbehaviors could be influenced by the framing of scenarios. This study also investigated whether there is a relationship between estimates of risk and a history of engaging in risky behaviors. The data were collected from 98 participants between the ages of 12 and 18 who had a history of engaging in misconduct at school. It was hypothesized that the nature of prior misconduct could be predicted based on responses to hypothetical situations that involved estimates of risk. The findings supported the hypothesis that participants' estimates of risk can be influenced by the frame or wording of the scenario and suggest that a more powerful study might have picked up more consistent outcomes. A significant relationship between the evaluation of risk and personal history of engaging in misbehavior was obtained in only two out of 12 classes of misbehaviors though all correlations were in the expected direction. Although these results only partially supported the hypotheses they add to a growing body of relevant scientific literature concerning the importance of framing effects and decision theory.