Lectures

The material for each lecture is presented, including the outline, PowerPoint lecture, and readings (reading with a * will be photocopied for you). You are expected to read the Required Paper for each class and take a look at the Lecture Outline. The Additional Empirical Readings are empirical papers which will be discussed during class. You are expected to write a review of one of these papers for every week of class (except the first). Feel free to bring the outline to class to keep track of the lectures and to organize your notes. Deep Background are additional readings on which I will be basing my lectures. They are not required but for one reason or another you may find them helpful for preparing your own presentation or for finding recent citation on relevant topics. The Powerpoints are web-based versions of the PowerPoint slides used in lecture (they are also available for downloading as PDF handouts). They may or may not be ready for the particular class (as I am continuing to write the lectures), but will be ready for downloading soon after class. Obviously, downloading and reviewing the lecture outlines or slides is an enhancement of class and not a substitute for attending class.

DATE	TOPIC	READINGS
Week 1	Introduction The case of Lee Malvo provides a springboard for discussions of adolescent risk taking. The discussion will bring out issues associated with whether adolescents are vulnerable to irrational decision-making and risk taking. A presentation on risk-taking will present data from Lindberg (2000) survey. The assigned readings include web material on the Malvo case and Steinberg & Scott's (2003) analysis of limits in adolescents' legal responsibility for their behavior.	Lecture Outline PowerPoint or PDF Required Reading Steinberg & Scott (2003) Additional Reading about the Malvo Case The Case His Background Everything Malvo Steinberg interview Juvenile death penalty Deep Background Lindberg (2000)
Week 2	Adolescent Risk Taking: Myths and Issues There are many myths (or at least unsupported assumptions) about adolescent risk taking. These are discussed by Byrnes' (2004), whose provocative we will review We will traced the root of problem to widely held misconceptions, misunderstandings, and miscommunications about the concept of "risk-taking" The lecture reviews the interdisciplinary meaning of term from philosophy, economics, decision science, epidemiology, and psychology. The definitions differ in the perspective adopted in defining risk (first person, third person, societal, and formal). Although different, these approaches appeal to normative standards when dealing with the concept of risk. Further complicating the picture, as we will review, are competing frameworks in which consider risk taking as Problem Behavior, (Jessor) or as Exploration (Michaud, 2006).	Lecture Outline PowerPoint or PDF Required Readings Byrnes et al. (2004) Additional Theoretical Readings Michaud (2006) Jessor (1991) Deep Theoretical Background Ponton (1998) Renya & Farley (2006)
Week 3	Biological Perspective: Genes, Evolution, and Individual Differences The biological aspect of adolescent risk-taking is introduced and its history traced. The discussion focuses on evolutionary and genetic factors on risk taking and how environmental forces interact with each factor. Arnett (1999) traces the biological approach back to G Stanley Hall's "storm and stress" account of adolescence. The significance of hereditary factors on risk taking are discussed from evolutionary (Nell, 2000), comparative (Fairbanks, 2002) behavioral genetic (Stallings, 1999) and temperament (Levenson, 1990) perspectives.	Lecture Outline PowerPoint or PDF Required Reading Arnett (1999) Nell (2002) Additional Empirical Readings Fairbanks et al. (1993) Levenson (1990) Stallings et al., (1999) Deep Background Spear (long version) (2000b) Zuckerman (2000)
Week 4	Biological Perspective: Hormones and Brain Development: The biological aspect of risk taking continues with an assessment of the claim that adolescents are hormonally and neurological vulnerable to risk taking. Required readings by Dahl (2004) and Spear (2000) provides one of the best overviews of how the neurobehavioral changes in adolescence which makes them vulnerable to risk taking. The discussion will consider the the direct (Susman, 1987) and indirect (Garber, 2003) influences of hormonal changes on risk taking. Additional discussions will focus on neurochemical (Fiarbanks, 2003) and neurocognitive (Overman, 2004) factors in risk taking.	Lecture Outline PowerPoint PDF Required Reading Dahl (2004) Spear (2000a) Additional Empirical Readings Fairbanks (2003) Garber et al., (2004) Susman (1987) Overman et al (2004) Deep Background Spear (long version) (2000b)
Week 5-6 Essay Exam Dist on week 6	Psychological Perspective: Cognitive Developmental Basis of Risk Taking The lecture begins with an inventory of cognitive skills acquired during adolescence and a discussion of adolescence acquisition of rationality (Moshman, 2005). With this back-ground, we consider claims that adolescent risk taking is an irrational act, reflecting adolescents being egocentric, a claim most strongly made by Arnett (1992). This was challenged by Quadrel et al., (1993) for whom adolescents are rational decision makers who happen to value risk taking more than adults. The additional readings offer empirical evidence for each side, with Johnson and Green (1993) and Greene (2000) defending the claim adolescents are irrational and Beyth-Maron et al., (1993) and Millstein (2002) denying it. Gerrard offers insight into a more complex relation between risk behavior and risk cognitions. Amsel et al. offers another account of adolescent risk taking which allows us to make make sense of adolescence being time of both rationality and irrationality.	Lecture Outline PowerPoint PDF Required Readings Moshman (2005) Chaps 1-3 Additional Empirical Readings Amsel et al., (submitted) Beyth-Marom et al. (1993) Gerrard et al (1996) Greene et al. (2000) Johnson & Green (1993) Millstein et al.(2002) Deep Background Arnett (1992) Quadrel, et al., (1993)
Week 7	Psychological Perspective: Regulation by Morality Again the lecture begins with a discussion of the normative developmental accounts of the acquisition of morality (Moshman, 2005). The role of morality on risk taking judgments is considered from a number of perspectives. Some argue that grasping the moral (as opposed to the conventional or prudential) aspect of interpersonal relations can directly regulate risky behavior (Berkowitz,1995 Nucci, 1991; Killen, 1991). Other seem to suggest that the relations between morality and risk taking is more indirect (Kuther & Higgins-Alessandro, 2000; Kuther, 2000). Shaw et al (2006) make an argument for a direct relation by examining the role of multiplicity of interpersonal understanding.	Lecture Outline PowerPoint PDF Required Readings Moshman (2005). Chapters 4-6. Additional Empirical Readings Killen et al. (1991) Kuther & Higgins-Alessandro (2000) Kuther, T.L. (2000) Nucci et al. (1991). Deep Background Berkowitz et al., (1995) Shaw et al (2006).
Week 8	Social-Contextual Perspective: Peers, Parents, and Beyond The socio-cultural perspective emphasizes the meaning or value of risk behavior for the adolescent in light of the social context in which it occurs. The discussion begins with a presentation of contextual theory and research. The required reading is a paper by Lightfoot in which she presents evidence on how personal meaning of risk taking is based on peer social relations (a theme picked up and extended by Lightfoot and Geriepy, 1999). We discuss evidence of and processes of peer influence (Gardner & Steinberg, 2005, Miller-Johnson et al., 2003) on risk tasking. The contextual approach further applied to risk taking by a focus on the influence of parents (Fisher & Feldman) mesosystem (Scarmella), exosystem (Collins), and macrosystem (Arnett & Jensen) on adolescent risk-taking.	Lecture Outline PowerPoint PDF Required Readings Lightfoot (1992) Additional Empirical Readings Arnett & Jensen (1993) Collins et al (2004) Gardner & Steinberg (2005) Fisher & Feldman (1998) Miller-Johnson et al (2003) Scarmella et al. (1998) Deep Background Lightfoot & Geriepy (1999)*
Week 9-10 Take Home Exam Due	Biopsychosocial Models Pulling together the previous three weeks, we consider studies attempting to integrate each of the three perspectives in a Bio-Psycho-Social model of risk-taking. Irwin & Millstein lays out the issues in a bio-psycho-social account of risk-taking. Such models are complex in a variety of ways. Rolson & Scherman (2002) examine the role of disposition, decision-making, and peer relations in risk tasking. Jessor et al. (1995) and Devikoc (2002) examine the interactions between biopsychosocial predictor and protector variables in risk tasking. Finally, Gibbons, et al., (1998) examines factors associated with the power of the situation and individual in their risk-taking behavior.	Lecture Outline PowerPoint PDF Required Readings Irwin & Millstein (1986) Additional Empirical Readings Jessor et al., (1995) Gibbons et. al. (1998) Rolson & Scherman (2002) Devikoc (2002) Deep Background Engle (1977) Kotchick et al. (2001)
Week 11	Adolescent Gambling Problem gambling in adolescence is on the rise and the require reading (Volberg, 2004) outlines the importance of the topic for the study of adolescence risk. This area of research has become very active over the past few years with more than enough material to forge together a bio-psycho-social model. The biological aspects of of gambling are outlined n Chambers and Potenza (2003) with evidence of the effect dispositional factors (sensation seeking, impulsivity) on youth gambling presented in Nower et al. (2002). Social factors, particularly peer-related, are examined in Hadoon (2002). These factors may be best understood in light of poor cognitive regulatory processes of which Amsel et al. (submitted) provide evidence Finally, Bzlaszczynskiu and Nower (2002) offer an interesting way to think about a Biopsychosocial model of gambling in terms of pathways to problems.	Lecture Outline PowerPoint PDF Required Readings Volberg (2004)* Additional Empirical Readings Amsel et al. (submitted) Bzlaszczynskiu & Nower (2002) Hadoon (2002) Nower et al. (2002) Background Chambers & Potenza (2003) Griffiths & Delfabbro (2000)
Week 12-13	Student presentations
Week 14	Preparing Formal Presentations	How to make formal presentations using Power Point FORMAT
Week 15	Student Formal Presentations	Class presentations (2007) Class presentations (2004)