Teen (brain) Development Report - Essay Example

Teen (Brain) Development Report Why Don’t Teens And Adults See Things Eye To Eye? The hypothesis is that the less time spent between parentsand teenagers is the significant factor in the differences between adults and teens. The question why teens and adults don’t see eye to eye can be answered from the different stages to which their brains have developed. The teenage brain is still developing, while the adult brain is mature. Yet, these differences need not be and the issue could remain in the lack of time that the adults give to teenagers, so that there is better understanding of each other.

Hypothesis: The less time spent between parents and teenagers is the significant factor in the differences between adults and teens.Introduction: The issue of disagreeing views between teenagers and their adult parents has been an area of concern, owing to the social consequences. The issue of this generation gap has been the source of a lot of discussion and more so when the current teenagers quite often look for quick fixes and instant gratification in life, with the virtue of patience appearing to loose relevance.

Does this arise from just the differing generations or are there more basic issues including the manner of brain development in teenagers. Relevance of Brain Development: Insight into the structure and the way the brain develops and functions have come about as a result of deep study on the matter. (Benson, D. Grey matter gallery. 2002). The insight is not without its controversies, as is usually seen in research fields and more so here as there is likely to be difference of opinion from the philosophic point of view as the matter under consideration is the functioning of the brain.

(Sheppard, R. How We THINK? 2000). Brain Development:The development of the brain starts from the time of conception and continues into adolescence and teenage. This maturing of the brain is a result of chemical and hormonal development and occurs in stages. An example of this can be seen in that the period between the ages six and fifteen is considered to be the peak language development period as the left hemisphere fills out and after which acquiring new language skills becomes more difficult.

The brains of the teenager are still in the developing stage and there are functional areas that are different from that of an adult brain. The frontal cortex area, which is the seat of cool decision making, is still in the developing stage in a teenager, whereas it has full developed in the case of an adult. This would definitely provide different ways in which decision are made and there is quite likely to be differences of opinion on the decisions that have been taken. (Bergman, B. A five-tonne tool for BRAIN SURGERY. 2000). Time as the Significant Factor: The difference of views that occur among teenagers and adult parents come about as a result of the lack of quality time that parents spend with their teenage children, who miss this.

The modern day career oriented parents neglect the fact that the time spent with their teen age children provides them the dividend of the teenagers understanding parental decision and respecting it rather than rejecting it. (Bergman, B. The babe-or-bust syndrome.2001). The parents feel that they know what is best for their teenage children and on the other hand the teenagers believe they know better. Yet, looking from the standpoint of family life teenagers and adults it is seen that they share the same values.

The much taunted generation gap is more in perception than it actually is. To remove this erroneous concept teenagers and parents need to spend much more quality tie with one another, as after all they have a lot in common and a lot to learn from one another. (Bergman et al. The Kids Are Alright. 2001). Conclusion: There are differences in the way the brain functions between adults and teenagers and so thee will be differences in perceptions and decision making processes. Differences in perception and decision making between parents and teenagers can be expected as the teenage brain is in its development, whereas the brain of the parents is mature.

These differences are however not that big that it cannot be overcome by time spent together by the parents with their teenage children.Literary ReferencesBergman, B. 2000. May 1. A five-tonne tool for BRAIN SURGERY. MACLEANS ARCHIVE.Bergman, B. 2001. April 9, The babe-or-bust syndrome. MACLEAN’S ARCHIVE. Bergman et al. 2001. April 9. The Kids Are Alright. MACLEAN’S ARCHIVE. Benson, D. Gray. 2002. September 2. Grey matter gallery. The London Free Press. Sheppard, R. 2000. May 1. How We THINK?

MACLEAN’S ARCHIVE.