"We were surprised to discover that risk-taking was associated with more highly-developed white matter – a more mature brain,"
Additionally, it has been shown that the period of mid-adolescence (ages 15 through 19) is the time when teens are more likely to begin high-risk behaviors such as drinking, abusing drugs or driving recklessly.
Things still gets worse for non-risk taking teenagers. The researcher further rubs salt into wound by stating that risky behaviour drives early brain development if it's not the other way round. Both ways not much respite for non-risky teenagers.
Berns says more studies need to be done to determine if early brain development predisposes someone to engage in risky behaviors, or if the risky behavior drives the maturation of the brain.
I thought at least there was some respect from that angle for those years. Now even that is gone.
Via Science Daily
Well, taking risks is part of maturity: assuming one's own responsability over one's life. Kids mostly do not if mum or dad (the Superego) forbids it.
ReplyDeleteKids mostly do not if mum or dad (the Superego) forbids it.
ReplyDeleteAlso,
- if the parents belong to subservient cultures
- teenagers don't have enough money to indulge in these risky behaviours
So parents without superego in fact hinder the maturation of brain in their children.
ReplyDeleteI did not say that. Parents are the Superego for the kid (not only them but specially).
Also,
- if the parents belong to subservient cultures
- teenagers don't have enough money to indulge in these risky behaviours.
I can imagine that risky caprices are a sucedaneous of working and hunting and whatever other adult behaviours teenagers were/are supposed to adopt. But there is a more risk-taking attitude among youngsters anyhow, maybe because they do not fully realize the possible consequences of such behaviours. Among young men in particular bravados are common, and that may bring to undesired accidents or fights. Older men are less troublesome probably because of experience and some quieting of the sexual hormones.
I did not say that. Parents are the Superego for the kid (not only them but specially).
ReplyDeleteI deleted that comment. I, in fact, misread your comment as 'kids mostly do it if mum or dad (the Superego) forbids it.'. Probably, I was thinking about strict parents and rebel children.
Makes sense.
ReplyDeleteThinking of rebel children, I'd say that rebellion (more or less intense depending on individuals and circumstances) appears as the child matures, surely earlier than adolescence but somehow in the way to it; and that such tendencies, that after all reinforce the ego (something that grows upon maturation), are natural and (to some degree at least) healthy.
After all what is growing but becoming oneself, making oneself as much as possible - not in the entrepreneur sense of "self-made man" but in the creative sense of defining and expanding what is oneself. Taking risks is part of exploring the world and your possibilities in it and, when possible, this is made in a playful manner, even in full grown adults.