The effect of negative emotions on Risk Taking & the role of emotion driven impulsiveness
Summary
This study aims to provide insight in the processes behind risk behaviour. Therefore the effects of negative emotions on risk behaviour is studied, as well as the role that emotion driven impulsiveness plays. The study included a 105 females. The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) was used to measure the emotional state. Risk taking was measured with the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) and emotion driven impulsiveness was measured with the UPPS-P Negative Urgency Scale. The first hypothesis is that negative affect increases the amount of risk behaviour. This hypothesis was not confirmed. Further, it is expected that emotion driven impulsiveness has a positive relation with the amount of risk behaviour. The data did not support this hypothesis. For the final hypothesis, that emotion driven impulsiveness plays a role in the effect of negative emotions on Risk Behaviour, a small effect was found. Accordingly, it can be concluded that emotion driven impulsiveness is a contributing factor in risk behaviour when induced with negative emotions.