Late nights, late risks: The relationship between evening chronotype and passive risk taking

Previous research has demonstrated that individuals with a late chronotype tend to engage more frequently in active risk-taking behaviors such as gambling and extreme sports. Here, we hypothesized that evening individuals would also show a higher likelihood of engaging in passive risk-taking behaviors due to their limited self-control resources. Across four complementary studies involving multiple populations (students and community adults), various measures of passive risk taking (self-reporting and actual behavioral tasks), and a range of risks (financial, health, and resources domains), we obtained converging evidence supporting our theoretical perspective. In Study 1, we found that evening chronotype was associated with a stronger inclination to engage in passive risky behavior among Chinese university students. Using a more diverse population, Study 2 revealed that evening chronotype was a significant predictor of actual passive risk-taking behavior. Study 3 replicated the findings of Study 2 by using a different behavioral measure of passive risk-taking. Study 4 used a methodology intentionally introduced a high level of risk into the study's design and observed the same relationship. Additionally, we established that this relationship was mediated by self-control capacity. Together, this research enriches our understanding of the influence chronotype can exert on various forms of risky behavior.