University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
J Res Adolesc. 2021 Dec;31(4):1006-1022. doi: 10.1111/jora.12608.
Research in the past decade has highlighted the nuances of adolescent decision making. In this review article, we summarize several themes evident in the field of developmental science including the redefinition of adolescence and the ways in which adolescent decision-making capabilities converge with or diverge from those of adults. While the decision-making process is similar for adolescents and adults in contexts that encourage deliberation and reflection, adolescents and adults differ in contexts which preclude deliberation vis-à-vis high emotional arousal. We also discuss the reconceptualization of adolescent behavior, including risk taking, as adaptive. That is, characteristics of adolescence, including impulsivity, the importance of peers, and novelty seeking, are normative, evolutionarily advantageous, and essential for positive development. While these features manifest in negative, health-compromising ways (e.g., risky driving and criminal behavior), they also foster growth and exploration. We conclude with a discussion of potential avenues for future research.
过去十年的研究强调了青少年决策的细微差别。在这篇综述文章中，我们总结了发展科学领域的几个主题，包括对青春期的重新定义，以及青少年决策能力与成年人的决策能力趋同或相异的方式。虽然在鼓励深思熟虑和反思的情境中，青少年和成年人的决策过程相似，但在禁止深思熟虑的情况下，青少年和成年人在情绪高度激动的情境中存在差异。我们还讨论了对青少年行为的重新概念化，包括冒险行为，将其视为适应性的。也就是说，青春期的特征，包括冲动、同伴的重要性和寻求新奇，是正常的、进化上有利的，对于积极的发展是必不可少的。虽然这些特征以消极的、损害健康的方式表现出来（例如，危险驾驶和犯罪行为），但它们也促进了成长和探索。我们最后讨论了未来研究的潜在途径。
