The balloon analogue risk task (BART) is a computerized measure of risk taking behavior. The BART models real-world risk behavior through the conceptual frame of balancing the potential for reward versus loss.Cognitive learning definition and examples in the task, the participant is presented with a balloon and offered the chance to earn money by pumping the balloon up by clicking a button.Cognitive learning definition and examples each click causes the balloon to incrementally inflate and money to be added to a counter up until some threshold, at which point the balloon is over inflated and explodes.Cognitive learning definition and examples thus, each pu mp confers greater risk, but also greater potential reward. If the participant chooses to cash-out prior to the balloon exploding then they collect the money earned for that trail, but if balloon explodes earnings for that trial are lost.Cognitive learning definition and examples participants are not informed about the balloons breakpoints; the absence of this information allows for testing both participants' initial responses to the task and changes in responding as they gain experience with the task contingencies.Cognitive learning definition and examples risk taking is a related, but phenomenologically distinct process from impulsivity.

The primary score used to measure BART performance is the adjusted average number of pumps on unexploded balloons, with higher scores indicative of greater risk-taking propensity (bornovalova et al. 2005; lejuez et al. 2002).Cognitive learning definition and examples in the original version of the task, each pump was worth $.05 and there were 30 total balloons across a range of different contingencies. Balloon breakpoints range from 1-8, 1-32, or 1-128 pumps.Cognitive learning definition and examples for example, for a 1-128 breakpoint, the probability that a balloon would explode on the first pump is 1/128. If the balloon did not explode on the first pump, the probability that the balloon would explode on the second pump is 1/127, and so no.Cognitive learning definition and examples according to this algorithm, the average break point for the 1-128 breakpoint would be the midpoint of the range, or 64 pumps.

Number of trials.Cognitive learning definition and examples study design often limits the administration time for any single task and there is interest in knowing the most appropriate task duration that maximizes quality of data while minimizing participant burden.Cognitive learning definition and examples studies have varied the number of balloon trials, with the most common duration being 30 trials. In studies using 30 balloons, the score across all balloons is typically more reliable than any single 10 balloon block.Cognitive learning definition and examples however under time constraints, using fewer balloons may be necessary. Research indicates that correlations with the total score are acceptable for the first 10 balloons (~.6) and are good for balloons 11-20 (~.8) with little change for balloons 21-30 (~.8).Cognitive learning definition and examples thus, an argument can be made for any choice between 10 and 30 balloons to balance time research testing time constrains.

Average response rates for the BART tend to be less risky than would produce maximal earnings.Cognitive learning definition and examples participants typically exhibit adjusted scores between 26 and 35 pumps with few scoring at or above the optimal number of pumps (i.E. 64) to maximize earnings on the task.Cognitive learning definition and examples this raises the concern the most risky individuals also are making the most overall profit on the task and it is unclear why this low level of pumping occurs.Cognitive learning definition and examples one hypothesis is that the low pumping behavior might be the result of insufficient experience with the BART, but mathematical modeling suggests that adding additional trials beyond 30 balloons result in little change in pumping rates (wallsten et al. 2005).Cognitive learning definition and examples

Reward density and category. The BART allows for manipulation of the magnitude of reward assigned to each pump. This may be useful for studies of reward sensitivity.Cognitive learning definition and examples for instance, risk-taking declines with increasing reward/loss value (1, 5, and 25 cents per pump), and this effect is specific to those with low trait impulsivity.Cognitive learning definition and examples the highly impulsive individuals had did not adjust risk-taking in response increases in reward/loss value. This is one example of how it is important for researchers to consider the value of reinforcers when interpreting outcomes of risk taking and personality.Cognitive learning definition and examples

Measuring risking taking among children and adolescents. A youth version of the BART (BART-Y) has also been developed which uses a point meter rather than a money counter to reinforce behavior.Cognitive learning definition and examples participants are instructed that points may be exchanged for prizes at the end of the testing session. Reliability and validity data on the BART-Y yielded similar findings to the original BART, suggesting that dissemination of prizes as opposed to cash is a developmentally appropriate reward.Cognitive learning definition and examples

Within session reliability. Split-third reliability has been examined (i.E. Comparing scores across the first block, middle, and third blocks of 10 balloons each), which indicate strong reliability (> 0.7).Cognitive learning definition and examples adults tend to demonstrate modest increases in risk-taking across the blocks (typically between one and three pumps), while adolescents tend to reduce risk-taking responding from the first to the third blocks.Cognitive learning definition and examples

Test-retest reliability. Analyses of performance across sessions indicates a reasonably robust test-retest correlation (T1/T2 r = .77). Like the within session data, there is a modest yet significant increases in risk-taking with repeated administrations within a single day (T2–T1Δ = 2.2 adjusted average pumps, T3–T1Δ = 2.3 adjusted average pumps) although these are increases are smaller between testing days (two-week between T2–T1Δ = 1.2 adjusted average pumps).Cognitive learning definition and examples

Criterion validity. Within adolescent studies, BART score is related to self-reported engagement in real-work risk-taking behaviors including substance use and delinquency/safety behaviors from middle adolescents to young adults in community samples as well as studies comparing clinical and nonclinical samples.Cognitive learning definition and examples additionally, BART-Y score was shown to vary with alcohol use across three years with early to middle adolescents. Thus, BART performance appears to be related to early engagement in substance use as well as to risk behaviors related to substance use.Cognitive learning definition and examples consideration of moderators in the relationship between BART score and risk behavior may also be important. In one study, BART-Y score was prospectively related to number of risk-taking behaviors in the past year, but only for adolescents who were low in the ability to tolerate distress.Cognitive learning definition and examples importantly this finding persisted after controlling for gender and sensation seeking.

Previous research has examined BART measures of risk taking in relation to functional polymorphism in the regulatory region (5-HTTLPR) of the human 5-HT transporter (5-HTT) gene.Cognitive learning definition and examples this research has found that carriers of the short 5-HTTLPR allele had significantly lower number of adjusted average number of pumps than those how where homozygotes of the long allele.Cognitive learning definition and examples

Imaging studies have reported that increased activation in mesolimbic and frontal brain regions during BART performance. In the fmri adapted version of the test most similar to the traditional version of the BART, activation was observed in the midbrain, striatum, anterior cingulate cortex/medial frontal cortex, or dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex.Cognitive learning definition and examples when the task was modified to allow participants respnonse options to manipulate level of risk and the amount of virtual monetary reward for each balloon.Cognitive learning definition and examples in this condition, there was robust activation of dopamine rich mesolimbic structures and frontal target regions, including midbrain (ventral tegmental area, VTA), striatum (nucleus accumbens, globus pallidus nucleus caudate, and putamen), anterior insula, dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex, and anterior cingulate cortex/medial frontal cortex.Cognitive learning definition and examples