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Why do teenagers do stupid and dangerous things?

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  • Why do teenagers do stupid and dangerous things?

    A new study has been done which provides some surprising insights into why teenagers sometimes do stupid and dangerous things.

    As summarized by psychologists Valerie Reyna of Cornell and Frank Farley of Temple in the current issue of the journal Psychological Science in the Public Interest, teenagers take a split second longer than adults to reject such patently inane behaviors [as drinking Drano or having unprotected sex]. And more of the teenage brain lights up, suggesting that they are actually going through some kind of deliberative calculation before concluding what the rest of us assume is obvious.

    This is not a good thing. While we tend in our culture to celebrate reason and careful, deliberative decision making, some psychologists are now arguing that the opposite value sometimes holds. The emerging view is that the brain is a dual-processor, with certain neurons dedicated to systematic crunching of information, and others (probably older and more primitive from an evolutionary point of view) making fast intuitive leaps. These leaps, the new research suggests, may lead to healthier decisions. In other words, impulsivity sometimes trumps logic and caution
    Miulang
    "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

  • #2
    Re: Why do teenagers do stupid and dangerous things?

    I will be the first to admit here on HT that yes I was a stupid teenager...

    And to some... still stupid.

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    • #3
      Re: Why do teenagers do stupid and dangerous things?

      In response to the thread title, BECAUSE I CAN!
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      • #4
        Re: Why do teenagers do stupid and dangerous things?

        Originally posted by manoasurfer123 View Post
        I will be the first to admit here on HT that yes I was a stupid teenager...

        And to some... still stupid.

        Well at least you admit it But let's just call it naive. Stupid is such a harsh word
        Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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        • #5
          Re: Why do teenagers do stupid and dangerous things?

          I always thought that Teens think that they're invincible (street racing, drugs, sex, etc).

          I myself never had a chance to be "free" in my teenage years, but it looks like its slowly coming out now.
          How'd I get so white and nerdy?

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          • #6
            Re: Why do teenagers do stupid and dangerous things?

            I had all the freedom in the world and I am lucky to be alive in one piece!
            Consequences did not occur to me until I was maybe 23??
            Crazy, crazy girl! Lots of trouble.
            Now? I am totally normal and self controlled!
            Since when is psycho a bad thing??
            Sharing withother survivors...
            www.supportandsurvive.org

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            • #7
              Re: Why do teenagers do stupid and dangerous things?

              Expirence the expriment.. Youth is vivacious and exciting cuz life is still fresh and new.
              Ebb And Flow

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              • #8
                Re: Why do teenagers do stupid and dangerous things?

                I'll say I think it's because some of them don't know better and/or don't think before they do those kinds of things. Thus, later on they'll regret doing them. I'm not bragging, but thankfully I'm not one of those teenagers.
                'Alika

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                • #9
                  Re: Why do teenagers do stupid and dangerous things?

                  I used to ride my bike down Komo Mai Drive as fast as I possibly could. Speed was probably close to 45 mph.

                  Almost plowed into a pickup truck making a left turn into a driveway, but that didn't stop me from doing it again. Quick reflexes, and knowing how to make a skidding turn, helped a lot.

                  The thrill of it overrides the sense of caution and that's why teenagers do stupid things sometimes.

                  However -- I'm almost 50 and I'll still ride my bike down some steep hill and thoroughly enjoy the speed. Although I'll reflect on it later, considering the possible injuries of a spill and fully understanding how nasty it can get.

                  Interestingly, I don't drive that way at all. Somehow it's different with a bicycle.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Why do teenagers do stupid and dangerous things?

                    some need the school of hard knocks...and a few refresher courses...

                    pax

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                    • #11
                      Re: Why do teenagers do stupid and dangerous things?

                      But to sum it all up in a nutshell, Why do teenagers do stupid and dangerous things? Because they're stupid resulting in their being dangerous.

                      Heck I was a stupid teenager once, I'm glad being a teenager comes around only once. Then you grow up and realize just how stupid you were.

                      And that's the irony of it all...being a teenager you don't realize the stupid things you do until you grow up, but by then you're not a teenager anymore and CLICK the light comes on: Oh Yeah that was stupid!
                      Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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