Balloon Analog Risk Task

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Balloon Analog Risk Task

Basic Characteristics

  • Description

The Balloon Analog Risk task is a computer based assessment of risk taking behavior. A subject uses a computer mouse to click a balloon pump that inflates a balloon on the screen. Subjects are informed that the objective of the task is to get the largest amount of money possible while avoiding balloon explosions.Participants are not given any detailed information about the probability of the balloon exploding. Each pump of the balloon without an explosion places money into a money reserve. Should the subject pop their balloon they lose all money and another balloon appears. At any time during a trial the subject can click "collect money" and transfer all money from a temporary bank account to a permanent account where a new total is updated. Risk taking tendencies are associated with psychopathology and impulsivity.

  • History
  • References

Hunt et al, 2005. Construct validity of the balloon analog risk task PMID 1624412

Related Information

  • Cognitive construct associated with this task (vote for your favorite, or nominate a new construct label by editing this page): Risk taking behavior
  • Indicators (dependent variables, conditions, or contrasts; measurement variables used for analysis) associated with this task (vote or nominate by editing this page):
    • dependent variables: total number of balloon explosions and number of balloon pumps
  • Closely related pages (vote or nominate related pages by editing this page):
    • Within Species
    • Across Species
  • CNP Level
  • Primary Species

External Resources

  • Database links

Task Details

  • Task Structure (please given an overview of the task procedures here [i.e., overall design, block, trial, and within-trial event structure and timing])
    • procedure
      • block: experimental block administered until 30 trials were completed
      • trial: 30 completed trials
  • Stimulus Characteristics
    • sensory modality (e.g., visual, auditory, somatosensory, gustatory, olfactory): visual and auditory
    • functional modality (e.g., linguistic, spatial, numerical, categorical):
    • presentation modality (e.g., human examiner, paper, computer display, headphones, speaker): computer display with speakers
  • Response Characteristics
    • response required -
      • effector modality (e.g., vocal, manual, pedal): manual
      • functional modality (e.g., words, drawing, writing, keypress, movement): mouse press
    • response options (e.g., yes/no, go/no-go, forced choice, multiple choice [specify n of options], free response)- collect money or pump balloon
    • response collection (e.g., examiner notes, keyboard, keypad, mouse, voice key, button press)- mouse
  • Assessment/Control Characteristics
    • timing
      • monthly cycle dependent??
      • circadian dependent??
    • control assessment
      • 5 senses??