
Why teenagers are moody, scientists find the answer - peter123
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/science/sciencenews/5110820/Why-teenagers-are-moody-scientists-find-the-answer.html
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antipax
The article seems to imply that hormones don't have anything to do with it,
but I feel like it's probably at least 50/50 with the maturing brain thing!
Anyone else have any thoughts or links on this?

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michaelkeenan
This contradicts a theory proposed (separately, as far as I know) by Eliezer
Yudkowsky and psychologist Richard Epstein. They argue that the troubles of
adolescence are caused by the unnatural situation society places teenagers in
- segregated in high schools, denied autonomy, and lacking responsibility.

As Yudkowsky puts it: "Physiologically adult humans are not meant to spend an
additional 10 years in a school system; their brains map that onto "I have
been assigned low tribal status". And so, of course, they plot rebellion -
accuse the existing tribal overlords of corruption - plot perhaps to split off
their own little tribe in the savanna, not realizing that this is impossible
in the Modern World. The teenage males map their own fathers onto the role of
"tribal chief"..." <http://www.overcomingbias.com/2008/07/rebelling-
withi.html>

And Epstein: "Imagine what it would feel like—or think back to what it felt
like—when your body and mind are telling you you're an adult while the adults
around you keep insisting you're a child. This infantilization makes many
young people angry or depressed, with their distress carrying over into their
families and contributing to our high divorce rate. It's hard to keep a
marriage together when there is constant conflict with teens. ... In most
nonindustrialized societies, young people are integrated into adult society as
soon as they are capable, and there is no sign of teen turmoil. Many cultures
do not even have a term for adolescence. But we not only created this stage of
life: We declared it inevitable. In 1904, American psychologist G. Stanley
Hall said it was programmed by evolution. He was wrong. ... Dumas and I worked
out what makes an adult an adult. We came up with 14 areas of competency—such
as interpersonal skills, handling responsibility, leadership—and administered
tests to adults and teens in several cities around the country. We found that
teens were as competent or nearly as competent as adults in all 14 areas. But
when adults estimate how teens will score, their estimates are dramatically
below what the teens actually score. ... The adversarial relationship between
parents and offspring is terrible; it hurts both parents and young people. It
tears some people to shreds; they don't understand why it is happening and
can't get out of it. They don't realize they are caught in a machine that's
driving them apart from their offspring—and it's unnecessary. ... I believe
that young people should have more options—the option to work, marry, own
property, sign contracts, start businesses, make decisions about health care
and abortions, live on their own—every right, privilege, or responsibility an
adult has. I advocate a competency-based system that focuses on the abilities
of the individual. For some it will mean more time in school combined with
work, for others it will mean that at age 13 or 15 they can set up an Internet
business. Others will enter the workforce and become some sort of apprentice.
The exploitative factories are long gone; competent young people deserve the
chance to compete where it counts, and many will surprise us."
[http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/index.php?term=pto-2...](http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/index.php?term=pto-20070302-000002&print=1)

Of course, I don't have sufficient information to judge who is right, or
whether the two theories can be reconciled. It would be interesting to hear
Yudowsky and Epstein respond to Giedd's work, and vice versa.

~~~
divia
Paul Graham states basically the same theory in "Why Nerds are Unpopular":

 _As far as I can tell, the concept of the hormone-crazed teenager is coeval
with suburbia. I don't think this is a coincidence. I think teenagers are
driven crazy by the life they're made to lead. Teenage apprentices in the
Renaissance were working dogs. Teenagers now are neurotic lapdogs. Their
craziness is the craziness of the idle everywhere._

<http://www.paulgraham.com/nerds.html>

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again
April 1st is over.

