One finding that stands out in the pattern of age related differences in risk behavior is that although our sample of preadolescents tends to exhibit increasing risk behavior with development, they also exhibit increasing development of working memory. This pattern suggests that engaging in risk behavior is related to cognitive maturation and that exploring these risks is part of the natural development of adolescents. The finding that better working memory and reversal learning are related to less impulsivity suggests that the continued development of these capabilities may eventually overcome the adverse influences of impulsive tendencies, perhaps leading to their decline.
