Beyond stereotypes of adolescent risk taking: Placing the adolescent brain in developmental context

dc.contributor.authorRomer, D., Reyna, V. F., & Satterthwaite, T. D.
dc.date.accessioned2019-05-30T16:27:55Z
dc.date.available2019-05-30T16:27:55Z
dc.date.issued2017
dc.description.abstractRecent neuroscience models of adolescent brain development attribute the morbidity and mortality of this period to structural and functional imbalances between more fully developed limbic regions that subserve reward and emotion as opposed to those that enable cognitive control. We challenge this interpretation of adolescent development by distinguishing risk-taking that peaks during adolescence (sensation seeking and impulsive action) from risk taking that declines monotonically from childhood to adulthood (impulsive choice and other decisions under known risk). Sensation seeking is primarily motivated by exploration of the environment under ambiguous risk contexts, while impulsive action, which is likely to be maladaptive, is more characteristic of a subset of youth with weak control over limbic motivation. Risk taking that declines monotonically from childhood to adulthood occurs primarily under conditions of known risks and reflects increases in executive function as well as aversion to risk based on increases in gist-based reasoning. We propose an alternative Life-span Wisdom Model that highlights the importance of experience gained through exploration during adolescence. We propose, therefore, that brain models that recognize the adaptive roles that cognition and experience play during adolescence provide a more complete and helpful picture of this period of development.en_US
dc.identifier.citationRomer, D., Reyna, V. F., & Satterthwaite, T. D. (2017). Beyond stereotypes of adolescent risk taking: Placing the adolescent brain in developmental context. Developmental cognitive neuroscience, 27, 19-34.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878929317301020
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11212/4376
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherDevelopmental cognitive neuroscienceen_US
dc.subjectBrain developmenten_US
dc.subjectDopamineen_US
dc.subjectDecision-makingen_US
dc.subjectcognitive controlen_US
dc.titleBeyond stereotypes of adolescent risk taking: Placing the adolescent brain in developmental contexten_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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