The teenage brain can be a scary place. The brain of a teenager is going through so much growth and development that it can seem like teenagers are a completely different species. Exploring a little more about the teen brain can help us understand their behavior and provide a little more insight into why teens do what they do.
Risky behavior
The teenage brain is developing in several areas and one of those areas is risk assessment. This is the reason a teenager has difficulty looking at consequences of actions, makes rash decisions, and under-values risks. The teenage brain is geared to over-exaggerate reward and underestimate risk. This is not only something that is due to development but it is this kind of risk taking that promoted survival in teenagers in early humans. This can lead to many types of trouble, and it is one of the reasons so many teens seem to make poor decisions.
Communication
Teenagers’ brains are still developing proper communication. With so many hormones flooding their bodies, it is no wonder teenagers have a difficult time expressing themselves. Not only are expressions difficult, but also teenagers are actually not able to “read” and interpret adult facial expressions and emotions accurately. Teens are also more prone to trying out different ways of communicating in order to get what they want.
Social
The social brain is consistently developing all throughout childhood and still into early adulthood. Due to this, teenagers are more likely to be influenced and influence their friends as they seek to connect, relate, and understand others, as well as themselves. Teens are also more geared to be ego-centric (believe situations revolve around them). This type of thinking normally disappears as a teenager ages. It can really impact how they are socially and the way they perceive their own identity.
Experimentation
Teens are getting old enough to look and see things they want. Meaning teens will start experimenting with various behaviors to see if it will lead to what they want. It won’t necessarily matter if these behaviors are bad behaviors or good behaviors. If a behavior accomplishes what the teen wants their brain is more hardwired to that behavior during this time, even when severe consequences can be present.
Overall, understanding teens to do not yet have the communication, rational thinking and risk assessment adults have, can show why they handle situations differently. While this is not an excuse for bad behavior, it does lead us to grant teens more patience while they figure out their own life. We can also take this information and apply it to how we communicate with them, which can lead to more productive conversations and family interactions.