Citation

Morrongiello BA, Stewart J, Pope K, Pogrebtsova E, Boulay KJ. J. Pediatr. Psychol. 2014; 40(4): 406-418.

Affiliation

Psychology Department, University of Guelph.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/jpepsy/jsu100

PMID

25466880

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:  To examine whether children engage in greater risk taking when in a positive versus neutral mood state, and whether positive urgency trait relates to risk taking.

METHODS:  Positive mood in 7-10-year-old children was induced experimentally, and children's risk-taking intentions and actual behaviors were measured when the child was in a positive and neutral mood state.  RESULTS:  Within-person comparisons revealed that children showed greater risk-taking intentions and actual risk behaviors when in a positive mood state compared with a neutral one. Positive urgency was associated with greater risk taking when in a positive mood state, and this effect was stronger in the actual risk taking than intentions to risk take task.  CONCLUSIONS:  Mood state affects children's risk taking. Positive mood is associated with greater risk taking in elementary-school children, and those high in positive urgency are especially likely to show this effect. Implications for injury prevention are discussed.

Language: en