Risk Taking — Can Teens Help it?
(Ivanhoe Newswire) — Even though teens know why they shouldn’t take risks, like having unprotected sex and taking illegal drugs, they have a hard time convincing themselves to resist temptation. The teenage brain hasn’t developed the ability to conquer peer pressure, according to a psychologist from Temple University in Philadelphia. Laurence Steinberg, Ph.D., reports in a study published this month that simply teaching adolescents about dangers of certain behaviors will not do enough to stop teens from taking risks. Rather, changing the circumstances in which these risky behaviors exist, like raising the price of cigarettes, is a more effective way to protect teens from themselves. Dr. Steinberg writes decision-making involves two areas of the brain. One area, a socioemotional network, responds to emotional reasoning and is more likely to be influenced by peer pressure. The second area controls planning, thinking ahead and self-regulation. This area of the brain matures more slowly t
