Posted on 05/19/2005 2:47:49 AM PDT by CarrotAndStick
LONDON: The reason behind teenagers' usually gruff reactions to simple requests from their parents - monosyllabic grunts, uncontrolled rage and door slamming - has finally been explained.
Scientists from the US have discovered that the brains of teenagers are not fully developed and lack the ability to multi-task effectively - a skill that continues to develop into late adolescence.
In other words, their outbursts, the archetypal catchphrase like "It's so unfair" are only to be expected, as their brains cannot cope with the competing demands of their parents and social lives, reports the Scottish daily Scotsman.
The research done by scientists at Minnesota University examined the maturation of the frontal cortex - the area of the brain from behind the eyes to just in front of the ears.
This part of the brain controls the ability to think flexibly, control behaviour when confronted with challenging situations and juggle multiple pieces of information.
The researchers put volunteers aged nine to 20 through a series of behavioural tests - such as trying to remember where a dot was on a computer screen and recognise photographs of faces - to assess "working memory".
They were then asked to remember the multiple pieces of information in the correct sequence and finally search for items in a manner requiring a high-level of multi-tasking.
The ability to remember single pieces of information developed until the age of 11 or 12, while the ability to remember multiple facts improved until the age of 13 to 15.
But the ability to carry out complex multi-tasking carried on developing until the age of 16 or 17.
"These findings have important implications for parents and teachers who might expect too much in the way of strategic or self-organised thinking, especially from older teenagers. We need to keep their cognitive limitations in mind," said lead researcher Monica Luciana.
The point at which the frontal lobe of the brain reaches full maturity has been a subject for debate for some time. "It has been speculated that it matures after puberty, based on recent imaging data," Luciana said.
"Our findings lend behavioural support to that work and indicate that the frontal lobe is continuing to develop until late adolescence in a manner that depends upon the complexity of the task," she said.
I'm not disagreeing with you. What I meant was that today's parents (in general) do not expect much from their children at any age. I think this began a generation or two ago, because I see it those of my own age (I'm over 40). We have allowed our children to become lazy and we don't expect them to step up to the plate. I read a great article several years ago, I'll see if I can dig it up and post it.
Welcome aboard, CCE!
Nice screen name
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