Risk behavior in Adolescence
Index:
Lecture 1
Part 1 ----------------------------------------- p. 2
Part 2 ----------------------------------------- p. 6
Part 3 ----------------------------------------- p. 9
Lecture 2
Part 1 ----------------------------------------- p. 12
Part 2 ----------------------------------------- p. 16
Part 3 ----------------------------------------- p. 18
Lecture 3
Part 1 ----------------------------------------- p. 23
Part 2 ----------------------------------------- p. 25
Part 3 ----------------------------------------- p. 27
Lecture 4
Part 1 ----------------------------------------- p. 30
Part 2 ----------------------------------------- p. 33
Part 3 ----------------------------------------- p. 34
Lecture 5
Part 1 ----------------------------------------- p. 39
Part 2 ----------------------------------------- p. 41
Part 3 ----------------------------------------- p. 43
Lecture 6
Part 1 ----------------------------------------- p. 47
Part 2 ----------------------------------------- p. 48
Part 3 ----------------------------------------- p. 51
Part 4 ----------------------------------------- p. 53
Lecture 7
Part 1 ----------------------------------------- p. 57
Part 2 ----------------------------------------- p. 59
Part 3 ----------------------------------------- p. 62
Lecture 8
Part 1 ----------------------------------------- p. 66
Part 2 ----------------------------------------- p. 69
Part 3 ----------------------------------------- p. 73
,Lecture 1 part 1
Risk behavior in adolescence and adolescence development
Adolescence is often marked by risky behaviors, for instance crime statistics often prove
there is a peak during adolescence. The occurrence seems to be following an u shaped curve.
Possible explanations for curve
Adolescence is time between 10 to 24 years – brain developmental processes are still going
on. During these stages youth are confronted with different developmental tasks.
Early adolescence (age 10-13) - physical growth, sexual maturation, psychosocial and
psychosexual development, social identity formation (how others see them)
Mid adolescence (age 14-18) - developments continue to exist, focus more on personal. How
do you see yourself? What makes you an unique person? Experimenting with (risk) behaviors,
personal identity formation.
Late adolescence (age 19-24) - practicing adult roles. More responsibilities, first jobs,
starting to live on your own etc.
Neurological development during adolescence
1. Strong grow in brain volume: increase in white matter (connections), decrease in grey
matter of brain. Grey matter reflect nerve cells, white matter represents connections
between brain (in deeper layers of the brain).
Grey matter peaks at age 11-12 for girls and age 12-13 for boys. Process where grey
matter decreases is called pruning (snoeien). Natural process in adolescence brain,
brain eliminates neurons that are not used. Is necessary to make brain more efficient.
Neurons that are not used regularly they will disappear; important for adolescents to
use certain neurons otherwise they will lose ability to learn a certain things.
2. Increase in white matter: communication between brain regions strongly improves.
Brain of child consists of lots of country roads whereas that of adolescents consists of
complicated highways.
, Long term memory increases
Capacity for abstract thinking/metacognition increases
One of the reasons why adolescents become more critical of parents.
3. High plasticity and flexibility. Negative and positive experiences will have strong
effects on brain of adolescents (in comparison to children and adults).
4. The speed of the development of different brain regions differs
- the affective-motivational system (emotional brain) develops much faster than the
control system (rational brain). These differences may explain some typical
adolescent behaviors, such as the peak in risk behavior.
See article by Gladwin et al. (2011) for more details
Development affective motivational system (emotional brain) - research has shown that this
part is overactive during early and mid.
• During early and mid adolescence, the affective-motivational system in the brain
(reward enter) of the brain is overactive
• Adolescents experience stronger emotions than adults when they receive or anticipate
a reward, this process is enhanced by testosterone. Also when they anticipate a
reward (expectation of reward).
Development control system (rational brain) - slower than affective motivational system,
important role in risk behavior.
• The rational brain (centered in the prefrontal cortex) develops slowly (much slower
than the emotional brain)
• The rational brain plays an important role in the development of executive functions:
Risk estimation
Monitoring long-term goals
Response inhibition: inhibition of the tendency to react to (short-term) possibilities
for reward) (behavioral inhibition, self control, extend short term in favor of achieving
long term goals)
Prefrontal cortex
, Locations of rational brain, control system and emotional regions. Rational brain more
located in front. Prefrontal cortex on the side. Reward center more located at the inner
part of the brain.
To come back to central question: why do adolescents engage relatively more in risky
behavior than children adults?
The maturational imbalance model (Casey et al., 2011)
• Increased risk-taking during adolescence is a result of an imbalance between
motivational bottom-up (is more active_ versus controlling top-down processes
(heightened reward sensitivity versus immature impulse control, which is still
developing). Is not capable yet of controlling impulses.
imbalance is one of main reasons of peak of risky behaviors among adolescents.
Index:
Lecture 1
Part 1 ----------------------------------------- p. 2
Part 2 ----------------------------------------- p. 6
Part 3 ----------------------------------------- p. 9
Lecture 2
Part 1 ----------------------------------------- p. 12
Part 2 ----------------------------------------- p. 16
Part 3 ----------------------------------------- p. 18
Lecture 3
Part 1 ----------------------------------------- p. 23
Part 2 ----------------------------------------- p. 25
Part 3 ----------------------------------------- p. 27
Lecture 4
Part 1 ----------------------------------------- p. 30
Part 2 ----------------------------------------- p. 33
Part 3 ----------------------------------------- p. 34
Lecture 5
Part 1 ----------------------------------------- p. 39
Part 2 ----------------------------------------- p. 41
Part 3 ----------------------------------------- p. 43
Lecture 6
Part 1 ----------------------------------------- p. 47
Part 2 ----------------------------------------- p. 48
Part 3 ----------------------------------------- p. 51
Part 4 ----------------------------------------- p. 53
Lecture 7
Part 1 ----------------------------------------- p. 57
Part 2 ----------------------------------------- p. 59
Part 3 ----------------------------------------- p. 62
Lecture 8
Part 1 ----------------------------------------- p. 66
Part 2 ----------------------------------------- p. 69
Part 3 ----------------------------------------- p. 73
,Lecture 1 part 1
Risk behavior in adolescence and adolescence development
Adolescence is often marked by risky behaviors, for instance crime statistics often prove
there is a peak during adolescence. The occurrence seems to be following an u shaped curve.
Possible explanations for curve
Adolescence is time between 10 to 24 years – brain developmental processes are still going
on. During these stages youth are confronted with different developmental tasks.
Early adolescence (age 10-13) - physical growth, sexual maturation, psychosocial and
psychosexual development, social identity formation (how others see them)
Mid adolescence (age 14-18) - developments continue to exist, focus more on personal. How
do you see yourself? What makes you an unique person? Experimenting with (risk) behaviors,
personal identity formation.
Late adolescence (age 19-24) - practicing adult roles. More responsibilities, first jobs,
starting to live on your own etc.
Neurological development during adolescence
1. Strong grow in brain volume: increase in white matter (connections), decrease in grey
matter of brain. Grey matter reflect nerve cells, white matter represents connections
between brain (in deeper layers of the brain).
Grey matter peaks at age 11-12 for girls and age 12-13 for boys. Process where grey
matter decreases is called pruning (snoeien). Natural process in adolescence brain,
brain eliminates neurons that are not used. Is necessary to make brain more efficient.
Neurons that are not used regularly they will disappear; important for adolescents to
use certain neurons otherwise they will lose ability to learn a certain things.
2. Increase in white matter: communication between brain regions strongly improves.
Brain of child consists of lots of country roads whereas that of adolescents consists of
complicated highways.
, Long term memory increases
Capacity for abstract thinking/metacognition increases
One of the reasons why adolescents become more critical of parents.
3. High plasticity and flexibility. Negative and positive experiences will have strong
effects on brain of adolescents (in comparison to children and adults).
4. The speed of the development of different brain regions differs
- the affective-motivational system (emotional brain) develops much faster than the
control system (rational brain). These differences may explain some typical
adolescent behaviors, such as the peak in risk behavior.
See article by Gladwin et al. (2011) for more details
Development affective motivational system (emotional brain) - research has shown that this
part is overactive during early and mid.
• During early and mid adolescence, the affective-motivational system in the brain
(reward enter) of the brain is overactive
• Adolescents experience stronger emotions than adults when they receive or anticipate
a reward, this process is enhanced by testosterone. Also when they anticipate a
reward (expectation of reward).
Development control system (rational brain) - slower than affective motivational system,
important role in risk behavior.
• The rational brain (centered in the prefrontal cortex) develops slowly (much slower
than the emotional brain)
• The rational brain plays an important role in the development of executive functions:
Risk estimation
Monitoring long-term goals
Response inhibition: inhibition of the tendency to react to (short-term) possibilities
for reward) (behavioral inhibition, self control, extend short term in favor of achieving
long term goals)
Prefrontal cortex
, Locations of rational brain, control system and emotional regions. Rational brain more
located in front. Prefrontal cortex on the side. Reward center more located at the inner
part of the brain.
To come back to central question: why do adolescents engage relatively more in risky
behavior than children adults?
The maturational imbalance model (Casey et al., 2011)
• Increased risk-taking during adolescence is a result of an imbalance between
motivational bottom-up (is more active_ versus controlling top-down processes
(heightened reward sensitivity versus immature impulse control, which is still
developing). Is not capable yet of controlling impulses.
imbalance is one of main reasons of peak of risky behaviors among adolescents.
