Individual and dyadic continuous risk-based decision making: Changes and differences

Abstract

We used the Balloon Analogue Risk Task to study the changes and differences in risk preference between individuals and dyads in successive loss and gain contexts. Regardless of who was making the decision, the degree of risk taking after the first gain was significantly higher than that after the first loss, whereas the degree of risk taking after successive gains was significantly lower than that after successive losses. Further, risk preference increased after successive losses, and the increase was smaller for a dyad than for an individual, meaning the dyad’s decision making was more rational. Participants’ risk preference decreased after successive gains, and the extent of the decrease was larger for a dyad than that for an individual, meaning that individuals’ decision making was more rational. These findings indicate that the rational performance of both individuals and dyads in continuous risk decision making varies according to their gains or losses.