This is the second part of the New Scientist article “The seven ages of you” by David Robson. It makes some pertinent points on the myths about this age group.
We may think that the wayward teen is a modern invention, but the stereotype can be traced at least to the ancient Greeks. The youth, according to Aristotle, are prone to “overdo everything”. Shakespeare took a similarly dim view: “I would there were no age between ten and three-and-twenty… for there is nothing in the between but getting wenches with child, wronging the ancientry, stealing., fighting”.
Puberty- with all those sex hormones rushing through the veins-might seem to be the most obvious reason for this unruly, impulsive behaviour. Until recently, teens were also thought to undergo some characteristic brain changes that impair their capacity to act rationally. The brain’s limbic system, which governs motivation and reward, matures much more quickly than the prefrontal cortex, which is essential for behavioural inhibition and logical thought. As a result, teenagers were thought to have “imbalanced” brains wired to experience uncontrollable emotions, with little capacity to rein them in until their mid-20s, which is when the prefrontal cortex finally catches up with the limbic system. Until that point, adolescents were thought to be incapable of making good decisions- an idea that is still popular today.
In Romer’s opinion, it is time to ditch these stereotypes. “They are a very gross generalisation,’ he says. There is actually limited evidence that most teens have a severe deficit of self-control, he says. It is true that the capacity for “sensation seeking” behaviour-the desire for varied, new and intense experiences-peaks between the ages of i6 and 19, which may explain the willingness of teenagers to take risks. But Romer thinks that scientists should focus more on the many benefits of teen spontaneity and curiosity when trying to explain their risk-taking behaviours. “Adolescents are exploring and trying things out,” he says. “That’s going to involve a certain amount of risk. But you have to try things out in order to learn if they’re successful and adaptive.”
Whether it is their attempts to explore their sexuality or a desire to travel, the drive to seek new sensations helps adolescents to amass a wealth of experience that they can draw on in later life. This is aided by the under appreciated trait called tolerance of ambiguity. Adolescents are particularly good at coping with uncertain outcomes, which is why they are able to embrace new situations so readily.
We also need to appreciate the need adolescents have to establish themselves socially. A stable social network is essential for our well-being as adults. According to some researchers, this could explain why teens are so keen to avoid rejection and are prone to peer pressure, even if it involves acting recklessly. They may simply calculate that the risks are worth it given the possible of cementing relationships, which isn’t necessarily an irrational decision if your goal is to set up a secure friendship circle.
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