Risk-taking in Adolescence Why smart teens “act dumb” Michael Hoerger

Why smart teens act dumb “A little knowledge can be dangerous” …an incomplete set of skills can too Complex tasks require multiple skills Gap in developmental milestones: some skills develop before others Sometimes problems result from not having all skills at once

Many tasks require multiple skills Rollerblading: requires ability to move and ability to stop What happens when people learn to move but have not yet learned to stop? Other examples: Playing basketball, eating Halloween candy, cheerleading

Adolescent Milestones Early adolescence Increased levels of stimulation and novelty seeking, more risk-taking Late adolescence to adulthood Mature frontal lobes (decision-making center), increased planning, reasoning, caution, and error monitoring

Risk-taking & Novelty-seeking Increases start around age Common across species Motivates establishment of new territories, development of own family Increased independence “Young male syndrome” Increased number of arrests and murders More car accidents and reckless driving

Changing levels of dopamine associated with increased novelty seeking and emotionality More activation in the amygdala (“gut reactions”) than the frontal cortex early in adolescence Greater difficulty in interpreting emotions, regulating emotions, planning, understanding motives

Frontal Lobe Maturation Doesn’t occur until age Planning and reasoning Override “gut reactions” Increased error-monitoring When people make a mistake but it’s too late to override the decision, there is an abrupt shift in brain wave activity

Why? Why do novelty-seeking and risk-taking develop earlier than error-monitoring? 1.Humans are not perfect 2.Adolescents is an awkward time Confront new challenges Face rejection without caring Persist despite errors

Michael Hoerger To cite this lecture: Hoerger, M. (2007, March 14). Risk- Taking in Adolescence. Presented at a PSY 220 lecture at Central Michigan University.