Final answer:
Adolescents are more likely to engage in risky behaviors in the presence of peers due to valuing social rewards, peer pressure, and brain development factors that make them responsive to risk-related stimuli. Emerging adulthood exploration and evolutionary theories further explain this tendency toward risk-taking.
Step-by-step explanation:
The answer to the question from Chein et al. (2011) is: a. adolescents:
During adolescence, teens develop adult-like cognitive abilities, including the capacity to evaluate risks and rewards. However, they often value social rewards and peer pressure more heavily. This emphasis can lead to increased risk-taking behaviors when peers are present, as the desires for social acceptance and status often outweigh the consideration of potential negative outcomes
Factors also suggest that a certain level of risk-taking may be evolutionarily advantageous, as it can encourage independence and seeking out new experiences. This is particularly relevant to the developmental stage known as emerging adulthood, where exploration in work and intimate relationships is crucial. Despite potential misconceptions that adolescents are impulsively risk-prone, the evidence suggests that their risk-taking is more nuanced, rooted in social and biological influences rather than sheer impulse.