A number of studies have focused on the same-sex peer effect on and the developmental difference in adolescent risk-taking in terms of the dual systems model. Little research, however, addresses the effects of different observers, the role of different levels of individual self-control, and their interactions. To fill this gap, the present study examined the main and interactive effects of observer presence and individual self-control on male adolescents’ risk-taking behavior with an experimental design. A total of 261 male adolescents (M_age = 15.79 ± 0.79, range = 14–18) completed an adapted Stoplight Task, which measures risk-taking behavior, in the presence of an observer, either peer or adult, either male or female. The results indicated that a same-sex peer’s presence and low self-control were both risk factors of male adolescents’ risk-taking, but did only low self-control male adolescents take serious risks when in the presence of a same-sex peer whereas those with high self-control consistently had low levels of risk-taking under any condition. An opposite-sex observer, particularly an opposite-sex adult’s presence, played a similar protective role for male adolescents with low self-control. The findings suggest that a high level of self-control closely related to the cognitive control system may significantly buffer the negative effect of an adverse social stimulus which activates the social-emotional system on male adolescents’ risk-taking; the findings also reveal that an opposite-sex adult’s presence may contribute to a decrease in male adolescents’ risk-taking by improving their cognitive control system.

许多研究都集中在双系统模型方面，同性同伴对青少年冒险的影响和发育差异。然而，很少有研究涉及不同观察者的影响、不同水平的个体自我控制的作用以及它们之间的相互作用。为了填补这一空白，本研究通过实验设计检验了观察者在场和个人自我控制对男性青少年冒险行为的主要和互动影响。共有 261 名男性青少年（M_年龄 = 15.79 ± 0.79，范围 = 14–18) 完成了一项调整后的红绿灯任务，该任务在观察者（同龄人或成人，男性或女性）在场的情况下测量冒险行为。结果表明，同性同伴的存在和低自我控制都是男性青少年冒险的危险因素，但只有低自我控制的男性青少年在同性同伴存在时才会承担严重风险，而那些具有高度自我控制能力的人在任何情况下都始终具有较低的冒险水平。异性观察者，尤其是异性成年人的存在，对自控力低下的男性青少年起到了类似的保护作用。研究结果表明，与认知控制系统密切相关的高水平自我控制可能会显着缓冲不良社会刺激对青少年冒险行为的负面影响，这种刺激会激活社会情绪系统；研究结果还表明，异性成年人的存在可能会通过改善男性青少年的认知控制系统来降低他们的冒险精神。