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

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.