The effects of sound in the Balloon Analogue Risk Task

In this study, we examined the effects of pairing sounds with positive and negative outcomes in the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART). A number of published studies using the BART incorporate sounds into the task, where a slot machine or cash register sound is produced when rewards are collected and a popping sound is produced when balloons pop. However, some studies do not use sound, and other studies do not specify whether sound was used. Given that sensory information contributes to the intensity of experiences, it is possible that outcome-related sounds in the BART influence risk-taking behaviors, and inconsistent use of sounds across the many BART variations may affect how results are interpreted. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of sounds paired with outcomes in the BART, and whether the presence or valence of a sound would systematically alter participants’ risk-taking. Across two experiments using Bayesian censored regressions, we show that sounds, regardless of the outcomes they were paired with or their valence, did not affect risk-taking in an adult, non-clinical sample. We consider the implications of these results within methodological and theoretical contexts and encourage researchers to continue dissociating the role of auditory stimuli in feedback processing and subsequent responding.