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bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.10.10.757213

Perceived social value is more strongly linked to gossip decisions with age in adolescence

Oh, S. J.·Song, Y.·Lee, J.·Jung, Y.·Jeong, J.
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Abstract

Gossip is central to social exchange, yet how adolescents select what to share and with whom remains unclear. Across two independent samples aged 10-18 years (behavioural, n = 98; fMRI, n = 101 scanned), adolescents read information about absent third parties, chose whether and with whom to share it, and reported their appraisals. Sharing frequency showed no detectable age association. Valuation-to-decision coupling strengthened with age for interest in both samples, with a smaller age interaction for usefulness. Adolescents selected close friends more often with age when sharing. During scenario reading, before participants reported their choices, BOLD responses in a left inferior frontal cluster tracked subsequent interest ratings more strongly with age (n = 92), also within regions engaged by a separate mental-state judgment task. Together, these findings link age in adolescence to stronger valuation-to-decision coupling for interest and a greater proportion of sharing directed to close friends.

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Oh, S. J., Song, Y., Lee, J., Jung, Y., Jeong, J.. 2026-10-16. Perceived social value is more strongly linked to gossip decisions with age in adolescence. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.10.10.757213

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