Oh, S. J.; Song, Y.; Lee, J.; Jung, Y.; Jeong, J.

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.