Turning 18 doesn’t make you an adult — according to neuroscience
February 27, 2024 •
Legally, you’re considered an adult when you turn 18, but neuroscientists have more to add to this story.
Adriana Galván, director of the UCLA Developmental Neuroscience Lab, has found that teen behaviors like risk-seeking and display of strong emotions are actually adaptive traits that help teens succeed. Adriana’s research has found that teens are more sensitive to rewards than adults and that this makes them better learners — better, even, than adults.
Learn more about Adriana Galvan’s research and recent advances in our understanding of the teenage brain by watching the newest episode of the Fig. 1 video series.
To explore more UC research through this fun series, follow Fig. 1 on YouTube!
Tags: Adriana Galván, Fig. 1, research, teenagers, UCLA
