Understanding how preschool children learn from taking risks
Official title: Behavioral and Neural Correlates of Adaptive Risk-Taking Behavior in Preschool-Aged Children
Funded at Merrimack College · NIH-11124571 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how taking risks can help preschoolers, ages 4 and 5, learn better and make friends, and it aims to find out how these adventurous behaviors can support their growth and development.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Merrimack College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (North Andover, United States) |
| Project start | April 15, 2025 |
| Project end | April 14, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $413,811 |
| NIH project number | 1R15MH137634-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11124571 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are preschool-aged children, specifically those who are 4 to 5 years old.
✕Less likely to help
Children outside the preschool age range, particularly those older than 5 years, may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how risk-taking behaviors in preschool-aged children can lead to improved learning and social skills. By examining the relationship between risk-taking tendencies and implicit learning, the study aims to identify how these behaviors can positively influence development. Children aged 4 and 5 will participate in tasks designed to measure their risk-taking and learning abilities, providing insights into the neural and behavioral aspects of these interactions. The findings could inform better educational practices and interventions that promote healthy risk-taking in early childhood.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could enhance educational strategies and interventions that support social and cognitive development in young children.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that risk-taking can have adaptive benefits in learning contexts, suggesting that this approach may yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Merrimack College
North Andover, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cremone-Caira, Amanda Marie — Merrimack College
- Study coordinator: Cremone-Caira, Amanda Marie
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.