Evolutionary Basis Of Risky Adolescent Behavior

What do you think when you hear the word “teenager”? Most people think of teenagers as pugnacious and restless human beings. Their rebellious and rambunctious behavior usually leads people to believe this. Teens tend to participate in jeopardous activities such as dangerous driving, binge-drinking, or fighting that could land them in serious trouble, the ER or the police station. Although engaging in these exercises is strongly frowned upon, some studies show that most of these actions cannot be controlled. Adolescents are drawn to risky acts due to specific messengers in the brain, peer pressure and their odd methods of apprehending the outcomes of a situation.

The article “Inside the Teen Brain’ by Marty Wolner, states that the human brain provides parents with shocking new evidence to possibly explain the sometimes irrational, illogical, and impulsive behavior of teenagers. Teenage years are radically more active and dynamic than they previously thought. So teenagers are left with most of the information reaching their brains being processed in the emotional part (limbic system). Information processed in the limbic system without benefit increases the processing in the prefrontal cortex. It may result in impulsive, egocentric, and maybe even risky behavior choices. The prefrontal cortex of the teenage brain does not excuse inappropriate or irresponsible behavior from the teen. The brain is not yet

I decided to agree with Robert Epstein because adolescence, make decisions that are different from adults. Adolescence has a brain that is still developing and growing which make adolescence take a risk, but as for an adult, they already did their time and learn to not to make any risks. I feel as though people may not see adults, making a risk, but they do and they are smart choices because their brain has matured. Robert Epstein argues that we blame teen turmoil on the immature brains. But did the brain cause the turmoil, or did the turmoil shape the brain? He thinks that its a myth about the teen brain. Teens tend to make risk taking inevitable, by making poor decisions, having bad behavior, and teens also to make risk by their culture environment. First I was debating with myself If did not choose No because Robert Epstein argues that we blame teen turmoil on the immature brain, but did the brains cause turmoil, or did the turmoil shape the brain? which he thinks it is "The Myth of Teen Brains." I agreed with that fact, I do believe that culture has a big effect on the brain development. Only reason I agree on this statement because of how I was raised in a cultural environment that has an effect on my brain as teen and now as an adult my brain has expanded and analyze things a little different.

In our society today, the topic of birth control and other contraceptives for teens is a stirring debate. Teens are more promiscuous and sexually active than ever before; as early as middle school, we are seeing more teenage pregnancies, STD’s, and abortions than ever. Teenagers are not comfortable discussing their sexual activity with their parents and as a result they are seeking out other ways to gain access to birth control and other forms of contraceptives without parental consent. Access to birth control reduces the number of unintended teenage pregnancies and abortions each year, and access to birth control also fuels teenage promiscuity and encourages sex outside of marriage.

Stigmatizing sex and forcing teenagers to hide from authority figures in order to engage in it simply makes it more dangerous. Preventing access to birth control is associated with limiting discussion or education with teenagers and their authority figures about sexual behavior. Lack of sex education is associated with positive sexual behaviors, including a significantly reduced likelihood of teen pregnancy (Lindberg and Maddow-Zimet 333). Specifically, teaching adolescents about birth control options increases the likelihood of birth control usage and other safer sexual practices (Lindberg and Maddow-Zimet 337). For instance,

But they get the message that sex is risky.” They begin to see sex as a sensitive issue that should be taken very seriously because it involves life-changing consequences. Additionally, a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that teaching about contraception and making them available to teenagers was not associated with increased risk of sexual activity as many abstinence-only supporters have insisted. Therefore, the availability of birth control along with education about it does not increase sexual activity but informs teenagers to practice good decision-making for their bodies and their future.

In the last decade or so, however, the growing awareness of the dangers of AIDS does appear to have contributed to a decline in the rates of sexual intercourse among teens. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that between 1991 and 2005 the percentage of teenagers who are sexually active dropped from 57.4 percent to 46.3 percent among males and from 50.8 percent to 44.9 percent among females. The rates of pregnancy, abortion, and sexually transmitted disease among teens have actually dropped even faster than the rate of sexual activity. So it appears that, in addition to postponing sex, teens are also becoming more responsible in their sexual activities. For example, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that 87.5 percent of teens were either abstinent or used condoms. Of course, that means that 12.5 percent of teens were still having unprotected sex, but that is a significant improvement over past decades. Similarly, although the rate of teen pregnancy has declined, more than 11 percent of the babies born in the United States

Risky sexual and reproductive behavior associated with teen pregnancy often leads to disadvantage personal and social conditions. Research suggests that health education, contraceptive use, access to health care and outreach programs are effective in improving health conditions and reducing risky behavior. Omissions in the research on sexual behavior other than intercourse are highlighted. Possible biological, social, and social cognitive processes underlying teenage sexual behavior are then considered. Next, demographic trends in the use of contraceptives and antecedents of regular birth control use are reviewed. Finally, some of the successful program initiatives directed toward altering sexual and contraceptive practices are discussed, keeping

     Some causes for conduct in adolescents are no discipline, unstructured discipline and a broken home. A broken home is one of the factors that can produce a delinquent child. A broken home reduces the opportunity for creating a strong attachment between child and parents and that reduces the parent’s ability to condition the child. Many theories concerning the causes of juvenile crime focus either on the individual or on society as the major contributing influence. Theories centering on the individual suggest that children engage in criminal behavior because they were not sufficiently penalized for previous delinquent acts or that they have learned criminal behavior through interaction with others.

Biosocial theories believe biological or genetic risk factors along with their environment impact an individual’s predisposition to engage in criminal behavior throughout their life. The biological risk factors tied with their environment can also impact an individual’s predilection to develop antisocial behavior or tendencies, violent or aggressive behavior, impulsivity, lack of social responsibility and their ability to learn complex behavior patterns. Several empirical studies regarding biosocial theory and its components will be reviewed within this paper followed by an explanation as to why a policy in policing and corrections with its basis in biosocial theory would not be effective.

The number of teenagers engaging in sexual activity continually rises and scares the parents who have children of their own. Adults who are not open and communicative with their children, open the risk to their teenagers lying to stay out of trouble. Say for example a teenager in high school is having sex and does not want to risk getting pregnant. Her parents however believe in waiting until marriage to have sex. In “Middle School Students Should Have Access to Birth Control”, Abigal Jones cites the Journal of Adolescent Health to prove, “One [youth in eight is] sexually experienced, having engaged in intercourse,or sex or both before the age of 14” (Jones pg 1). The number of young teens involving themselves in sexual intercourse goes unseen or even ignored. Parents who ignore their children's sex life and are oblivious do not know the risks of both partners in the relationship. Teenagers who are aware of the protection provided by the pill and condoms deserve their own choice to these methods. The Portland decision argue, “...that 11-year-olds should not be given birth control without a parent’s consent” (Jones pg 2). However, some parents do not tolerate early sex in their child's life. The repercussions the child may endure are far worse than having unprotected sex. Therefore, to keep the teenagers safe and parents under control, birth control should

While parents would like their children to wait as long as possible to begin having sex, the reality is that teens are having sex much younger than many parents think. Some teens, or preteens, begin having sex or engaging in sexual behavior in junior high. By the time they are seniors in high school, an estimated 65 percent of teens have had sex, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2007. (Dawn, 2009). Unfortunately, a percentage of those teens will become pregnant. After more than a decade and a half of decline (a 27 percent drop from 1991 to 2000), teen birth rates rose again in 2006, which was the last year for which data are available. It is still unclear on what caused teen birth rates to rise again, with supporters of abstinence-only sex education programs and contraception-based programs each blaming the other side for the increase. However, a 2007 study in the Journal of American Public Health attributed the trend in decreasing pregnancy rates to improved contraception use among teens during that time. (Anderson Orr, 2009).

Programs that encourage abstinence have become a vital part of school systems in the US. These programs are usually referred to as abstinence-only or value-based programs while other programs are called as safer-sex, comprehensive, secular or abstinence-plus programs which on the contrary promote the usage of effective contraception. Although abstinence-only and safer-sex programs disagree with one another, their core values and stand on the aims of sex education is to help teens develop problem-solving skills and the skill of good decision-making. They believe that adolescents will be better prepared to “act responsibly in the heat of the moment” (Silva). Most programs that have been currently implemented in the US have seen a delay in the initiation of sex among teens which proves to be a positive and desirable outcome (Silva).

Have you ever witnessed a teenager taking a risk? Adolescents are taking more risks than ever, such as drinking, vaping, texting while driving, having unprotected sex, and participating in extreme sports. Research suggests that there are, in fact, specific reasons why teens take risks. Three important effects of the drive to take risks in young people include dopamine, peer pressure, and a parents influence on their children.

Nature and nurture play a role in adolescent risk taking. At this point in their lives, adolescents are brains are still developing. Therefore they may be easily influenced by many things such as peer pressure, social media, and external stimuli. Berger (2015) states during middle school, students lose interest in their academics. As their academic decrease their behavioral problems increases. A major part of this problem is due to puberty. Puberty changes a lot of things for clients. During this time adolescents can be irrational which is where nature comes into play. In terms of nurture, the way how adolescents are raised is a predictor whether they engage in risky behaviors. If an adolescent has lots of social support and self-discipline