Behavioral assessment of risk-taking under uncertain threat: Associations with affect and pain tolerance

Abstract

Low levels of risk-taking behavior have been associated with anxiety, but variables that influence risk-averse decision-making are not well-understood. Given that uncertainty is inherent to risk-taking behavior, individual differences in the appraisal of uncertainty (e.g., intolerance of uncertainty (IU)) may affect risk-taking behavior. However, nuanced behavioral assessments of risk-taking that allow for the simultaneous examination of uncertainty avoidance, risk-averse, and high-risk behavior are lacking. To address this gap in the literature, a computerized courage task was developed and the associations between task behavior and IU were examined. An unselected student sample completed measures of IU and other distress intolerance constructs before completing a cold pressor task to behaviorally assess pain tolerance and the courage task in which they were asked to win money under threat of possible shock. Selecting larger amounts of money was associated with greater risk of shock; a ‘pass’ option to avoid choosing entirely, ensuring no shock or money, was provided every trial. Self-reported anxious reactivity was related to lower-risk monetary choices, whereas greater IU was incrementally related specifically to pass choices; IU was unrelated to pain tolerance. Results support IU's construct validity and suggest that it may have incremental utility for understanding risk-taking behavior in anxiety disorders.