Use of English

Why We Take Risks

People often imagine that risk-taking is simply a sign of being careless, but psychology suggests a more complex picture. Some individuals are naturally more willing to (0) TAKE chances, while others avoid uncertainty whenever they can. Researchers have found that risk-taking may depend (1) .......... several factors, including age, personality and past experience. Young adults, for example, are more likely to act on impulse, partly because the parts of the brain responsible (2) .......... self-control are still developing. However, this does not mean that all risky behaviour is thoughtless. In some situations, people carefully weigh (3) .......... the possible benefits and the dangers before making a decision. Social influence also plays a major (4) .......... . People may take bigger risks if they are trying to impress friends or gain status within a group. On the other hand, fear of failure can prevent someone (5) .......... trying something new, even when the danger is small. Interestingly, experts point (6) .......... that moderate risk-taking can sometimes be positive. It may help people build confidence, discover new abilities and learn (7) .......... mistakes. For that reason, psychologists are keen to find (8) .......... some people seek risk more often than others.