Judgment Call: Maturity, Emotions, and the Teenage Brain

JUDGMENT CALL MATURITY, EMOTIONS, AND THE TEENAGE BRAIN THE LARGEST PART OF THE HUMAN BRAIN, THE The last lobe to mature is the frontal CORTEX, IS DIVIDED INTO SEVERAL LOBES lobe, which controls judgement and self-control. WHICH MATURE FROM FULLY DEVELOPED: 25 YEARS OLD BACK TO FRONT. OCCIPITAL LOBE TEMPORAL LOBE PARIETAL LOBE FRONTAL LOBE When the frontal cortex is not fully matured, making rational and disciplined decisions is much more difficult. DURING TEENAGE ADOLESCENCE, THE BRAIN IS RESHAPED BY THE INFLUX OF HORMONES AND EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES. A teenager's brain is only roughly 80% DEVELOPED. Teens have extra, UNCONNECTED SYNAPSES in the area where risk-assessment takes place, which gets in the way of judgement. These synapses disappear over time, improving rational thinking. THE PREFRONTAL CORTEX IS ALSO UNDERDEVELOPED, AND IMPROPERLY BALANCED WITH THE REST OF THE EMOTIONAL PART OF THE BRAIN. THIS IS WHY TEENS ARE MORE SENSITIVE TO... Risky and impulsive behavior Peer pressure TEENS ALSO USE LESS OF THE PREFRONTAL CORTEX WHEN READING EMOTION. In a study designed to map the differences between the adult and teenage brain, participants were asked to label the expressions of a series of faces. When it came to labeling fear.. 100% OF ADULTS WERE CORRECT 50% OF TEENS Fear WERE CORRECT Fear Surprised? Fear? ADULT BRAIN TEEN BRAIN Teens used less of the prefontal region than adults when reading emotions THIS ALL SUGGESTS THAT THE TEENAGE BRAIN IS NOT AN ADULT BRAIN WITH LESS LIFE EXPERIENCE! DIFFERENCES IN THE MATURITY IS BIOLOGICAL, NOT TEENAGE BRAIN JUST PYSCHOLOGICAL TEENS ADULT An underdeveloped front region means the Teenager's brains are susceptible to the effects of alcohol, sleep deprivation, and sensory brain is unable to rationalize or modulate an emotional responses like an adult. overload. Extra, enlarged synapses mean teenagers absorb information and learn faster, but are also more sensitive to external stress and pressure. Not all teenagers can correctly read adult facial expressions, which can lead to miscommunication & misrepresentation. PARENTS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT NO MATTER HOW MATURE THEIR TEEN MAY SEEM, THEY DO NOT HAVE THE SAME UNDERSTANDING OF RISKS AND CONSEQUENCES AS AN ADULT. THIS IS WHY... Teens are FOUR times more likely to Nearly TWO-THIRDS of teens believe giving in to peer pressure will help raise their social status. get in a car crash than adults. NINE out of TEN of teens who witness cyberbullying won't report it. WHAT CAN YOU DO TO MAKE SURE YOUR TEEN IS ACTING RESPONSIBLY, WHEN THEIR OWN BRAIN ISN'T UP TO THE TASK? KEEP THE LINES OF OFFER SUPPORT AND ADVICE COMMUNICATION OPEN WITHOUT JUDGEMENT STAY INVOLVED IN SET HEALTHY BOUNDARIES AND THEIR LIVES, AND CLEAR EXPECTATIONS. KNOW WHO THEY'RE TALKING TO Ok! TeenSafe SOURCES http://harvardmagazine.com/2008/09/theteenbrain.html http://teens.lovetoknow.com/Statistics_on_Peer_Pressure Gryffin http://www.academic.marist.edu/mwwatch/fall05/sciencel.htm media. Y http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/interviews/todd.html http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/healthmatters/201006/theteenagersbrain http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/news/wereonlyhuman/theteenagebrainhowdowemeasurematurity.html