The teenage years are an important period in a person’s life. It is the part of childhood when people learn the most about themselves. It is also the time when their brains and bodies undergo serious chemical and biological changes. These aspects make the teenage years universally understood as difficult and volatile; however, these changes often come as a surprise to both the parents and the teenagers.
The three presented videos clearly show that it is normal for a teenager to strive towards independence or even danger. Siegel explains it as a biological factor, nature’s way of making teenagers explore and learn more about the world (Siegel 3:30 – 4:00). Each of the videos used data collected by MRI to provide insight into how an adolescent brain works. More specifically, the MRI results point out the growth spurt that occurs in the prefrontal cortex before puberty and then a decrease in the grey mass, which is called pruning. It was a fascinating aspect to find out that growing up includes not only growing parts of the body or brain, but also discard of certain elements. The main difference between the videos lies in ways that the information is delivered, be it through a report-like presentation, personal interviews, or a speech at a large gathering.
It is most likely that for teenagers of all generations, the strive to be independent and free will be relevant in one shape or form. The adolescence of the past and present undoubtedly share certain unruly features, such as talking back or showing disrespect to authority. However, in the current realities, this aspiration could be decelerated by social media and the Internet. The need to achieve and learn more could be satisfied vicariously through watching videos or reading about people’s experiences in media. In addition, the parental methods have changed since 2002, becoming less strict, which creates less tension between the parents and the children.
Work Cited
“Daniel Siegel – The Teenage Brain.”YouTube, uploaded by Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education, 2014.