Balloon Emotional Learning Task (BELT)

Background

The Balloon Emotional Learning Task (BELT) is an adaptation of the popular Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) created in 2013 by Kathryn Humphreys as a graduate student at University of California, Los Angeles to assess risk-taking and developmental changes in sensitivity to negative feedback and associated learning.

Task Procedure

A total of 27 balloons of 3 different colors (red, orange, and magenta) are presented onscreen along with two buttons allowing the participant to "Inflate" the balloon or "Collect" points. With each pump, the balloon either grows or explodes. At any point, the participant can collect points equal to the number of pumps, in which case their point total is updated, and the next balloon is presented. If the balloon pops, no points are given, and the next balloon is presented.

Whereas balloons in the original BART had the same odds of exploding on any given pump, the 3 colors in the BELT are associated with 3 different fixed explosion points:

• Slow (explodes after 19 pumps)
• Quick (explodes after 7 pumps)
• Variable (explodes after randomly selected number of 7, 13, or 19 pumps)

Participants can thus learn to predict when a given balloon will explode based on its color, providing a measure of associative learning in addition to risk-taking.

What it Measures

The BELT is a measure of risk-taking and associative learning.

Psychological domains

• Risk-Taking Propensity: Willingness to assume risk (pumps) for potential reward
• Sensation Seeking: Pursuit of novel and intense experiences (watching the balloon grow or explode)
• Sensitivity to Reward and Punishment: Adjusting behavior following gains (collect) or losses (explosions)
• Associative Learning: Increased earnings per balloon over time

Main Performance Metrics

• Adjusted Average Pumps: Average number of pumps on balloons for which participants collected points (non-exploded balloons), with higher values indicating greater risk-taking
• Total Points Earned: Higher earnings indicate optimal balance of risk and reward
• Post-Explosion Adjustment: Compares changes in number of pumps following exploded vs non-exploded balloons
• Total Points Earned Over Time: Changes in points earned over the first, second, and third set of 9 balloons

Psychiatric Conditions

Performance on the BELT tends to be impaired in patients with the following psychiatric conditions:

• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
• Depression and Anxiety