The Balloon Analog Risk Task (BART) is a computerized task224 that measures sequential economic risk-taking behavior. In this task, the subject is presented with a picture of a balloon on a computer screen and is given the option to press two buttons. One button inflates (or “pumps”) the balloon, and each inflation results in the accrual of a small amount of reward (monetary or a points system). Subjects may choose to press the other “cash out” button at any time to add the earned rewards to their guaranteed “bank”. With every pump, however, there is a chance that the balloon will burst on the screen, and reward for that trial is forfeited. In the task, optimal performance consists of pumping the balloon enough to maximize reward, while avoiding over-accumulating risk. The main dependent variable studied is the mean number of pumps produced on non-burst trials.
