Question

In what ways do changes in brain development and cognition make adolescents particularly susceptible to peer influence?

Answer 1

In what ways do changes in brain development and cognition make adolescents particularly susceptible to peer influence?

Changes in brain development as well as cognition that occur in the adolescence are as follows:

• ​Teen brains are subjected to dramatic changes
• There are changes that are broad ranged in the Adolescent. These changes are in the form of changes in the body, changes in the brain as well as changes in the mind.
• There is neural growth along with pruning, resulting in changes in connectivity within the different areas of the brain.
• There is simultaneous changes in the pre frontal cortex of the brain.
• There is development of executive functions, planning as well as problem solving abilities.
• There is development and connection between the different parts of the brain which maintains impulses as well as emotion control.
• Proper functioning of the pre frontal cortex is associated with decision making, judgment, as well as flexibility in the mental abilities. With the development of the pre frontal cortex, these abilities become more and more clear.
• The stage where there is development of these areas, makes the Adolescents very vulnerable to the peer group. Hence, they get influenced by the friends.