Decision-Making Dilemma

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With recent research and new technologies, scientists were able to learn more about the brain of mysterious teenagers. Opposite of original findings, scientists found that the brain is still developing in teenage years and well into their mid-20s. It is important to regard this statement when adolescents have done wrong. That is because according to studies, the teenage brain is underdeveloped and they act on impulse. Other things also affect the way teenagers act. Therefore, teenagers should not be held accountable for the actions they make.
Scientists have found that the teenage brain is underdeveloped and functions differently. A Ph.D. at Stanford University states, “Researchers found that when processing emotions, adults have greater activity in their frontal lobes than do teenagers. In fact, as teenager’s age into adulthood, the overall focus of brain activity seems to shift from the amygdala to the frontal lobes” (Talukder). Since the frontal lobes control emotion and impulses, that means that teenagers don’t think through the situation they are in but instead, act on the spot. Also, it is proven that teenagers use their amygdala most frequently. The amygdala controls the instinctive reactions of a person. If a teenager has comitted a crime, chances are, he or she hasn’t thought through the situation and acted on impulse since that is what they are hrd wired to do.

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Researchers have also proven that parents of teenagers influence how they act later on in life. A student from the University of New Hampshire observes, “Parents directly influence deviant behavior in their children through their parenting techniques and the family structure… when these areas are lacking, an adolescent is more likely to turn to deviant ...

... middle of paper ...

...or her brains. There will be a reason why he or she acted that way.

Works Cited

Carlson, Amber. “How Parents Influence Deviant Behavior among Adolescents: An Analysis of their Family Life, their Community, and their Peers” cola.unh.edu. University of New
Hampshire. Mar. 2012. Web. 5 Feb. 2014
Institute of Medicine and National Research Council Committee on the Science of Adolescence
“The Science of Adolescent Risk-Taking: Workshop Report” www.ncbi.nlm.gov/books/N
BK53409/. National Academic Press. 2011. Web. 6 Feb, 2014
Jones, Caitlin M. “Genetic and Environmental Influences on Criminal Behavior” www.personali tyresearh.org/papers/jones.html. Rochester Institute of Technology. Feb. 2005. Web. 6
Feb. 2014.
Talukder, Gargi. “Decision-making is Still a Work in Progress for Teenagers” Brain Connection.
Stanford University. 20 Mar. 2013. Web. 4 Feb. 2014.

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