High Persistence Associated with Goal-tracking Behavior in Adolescence

Authors

Larisa M. Dina, Pin-Cheng Ho, Eleanor J. Dommett*

Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, London. SE5 8AF. UK.

Abstract

Sign- and goal-tracking are classically conditioned behaviors which represent differences in the likelihood of attributing incentive motivation to reward-associated cues. Although historically demonstrated in rodents, they have been implicated in several psychiatric conditions and maladaptive behaviors, particularly addiction, and as such attempts to assess them in humans are increasing. Despite this, there is no research on these phenotypes in adolescence in humans, a critical period in development of psychiatric illness, and no studies have considered how sign trackers (ST) may differ from goal trackers (GT) in terms of temperament, despite evidence linking specific temperaments, including novelty-seeking and persistence, to addiction. The present study categorizes 27 adolescents (aged 11-21 years) as ST or GT using a virtual Pavlovian Conditioning Approach Task and compares their temperament using the four dimensions assessed in the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory. GT were found to exhibit higher levels of persistence compared to ST, partially in line with previous literature, suggesting a steadier temperament (i.e., one associated with low novelty seeking and high persistence) and reduced risk of addiction in GT.

Keywords: sign-tracking, goal-tracking, adolescence, temperament, persistence

PAGES:191-206

doi:10.24193/cbb.2026.30.09

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