Because adolescence is a time when the parts of our brain associated with emotions are more prominent than the parts associated with reasoning, it may be worthwhile to see how interventions can steer adolescents on a positive rather than negative life course. The potential mistakes can be tragic and long-lasting. However, many adolescents and children stand out from their peers by accomplishing great things (for example, Greta Thunberg’s strong social activism). Research into the brain’s state in adolescence that makes negative life decisions more likely can include: what mediates or makes one more vulnerable to these decisions, what protects one from these decisions, and possibly how to capitalize on the imagination in people (which would be less hindered by the reasoning part of their brains) during this period of their life.
Because adolescence is a time when the parts of our brain associated with emotions are more prominent than the parts associated with reasoning, it may be worthwhile to see how interventions can steer adolescents on a positive rather than negative life course. The potential mistakes can be tragic and long-lasting. However, many adolescents and children stand out from their peers by accomplishing great things (for example, Greta Thunberg’s strong social activism). Research into the brain’s state in adolescence that makes negative life decisions more likely can include: what mediates or makes one more vulnerable to these decisions, what protects one from these decisions, and possibly how to capitalize on the imagination in people (which would be less hindered by the reasoning part of their brains) during this period of their life.