SCENARIO: Monica is a single mom who has a 16-year-old son named Jordan. Monica and Jordan were close at one point. As of late, Monica has been noticing that Jordan spends a lot of time focusing on what his friends think about him. Without his mother’s permission, Jordan recently crawled out of his bedroom window and went to a party when he was supposed to be studying for an exam. Upon his return home, Jordan reeked of alcohol and marijuana and was caught by his mother. Shocked and appalled by her son's recent behavior, she grounded him for two weeks.
What advice would you give Monica about her son’s recent behavior?
Using what you learned about the adolescent brain and social development, you will answer questions related to this case study assignment below. Your goals are to help Monica understand why her son makes the choices he does and recommend some strategies that may help solve the problem.
1. What happens inside the brain of a teenager that makes it difficult for Jordan to weigh the risks and rewards of his behavior? Describe how the adolescent brain weighs risk and reward.
2. Why does it appear that Jordan values the opinion of his peers more than the opinion of his mother? Explain the psychological concepts that may account for why Jordan places value on his peers’ opinions.
3. What advice would you give Jordan’s mother, Monica, that would teach him how to make better choices and decisions? Discuss a specific strategy that Monica may implement to help her son make better decisions.
Sample Answer
This scenario is common during adolescence, a critical period of physical and cognitive development. My advice will focus on helping Monica understand the developmental stage Jordan is in and providing strategies for positive behavioral change.
Advice for Monica
Your shock and disappointment are understandable, but it's important to recognize that Jordan's recent behavior—seeking peer validation and engaging in risky activities—is deeply rooted in typical adolescent brain development and social drives. The two-week grounding addresses the behavior but may not solve the underlying cognitive and social drives. The goal now is to shift from punishment to re-establishing connection and promoting executive function development.
. The Adolescent Brain: Risk and Reward
Jordan's difficulty in weighing the risks and rewards of sneaking out to a party is due to the asynchronous development of two key brain systems: the limbic system (reward) and the prefrontal cortex (risk/control).
The Dual-System Development Model
Limbic System (The Gas Pedal): This area, which includes the nucleus accumbens and the amygdala, is associated with emotion, pleasure, and reward processing. During adolescence, hormonal changes and rapid increases in the neurotransmitter dopamine make this system highly sensitive. This means that the perceived rewards (fun, social acceptance, status) are experienced as intensely desirable and exciting.
Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) (The Brakes): This area, located at the front of the brain, is responsible for executive functions, including impulse control, planning, weighing long-term consequences, and fully assessing risk. It is the last part of the brain to fully mature, not completing myelination (which allows for fast, efficient communication) until the mid-to-late twenties.
How the Adolescent Brain Weighs Risk and Reward
Reward Overdrive: When Jordan considers sneaking out, the hyper-responsive limbic system lights up instantly, focusing heavily on the immediate reward of peer acceptance and the thrill of the party.
Delayed Impulse Control: Because his Prefrontal Cortex is still developing, the braking mechanism that would normally apply cognitive control to thoroughly assess the long-term risks (getting caught, failing the exam, health consequences) is slower and less efficient.
Risk as a Thrill: Furthermore, novelty and risk-taking behavior can activate the reward centers themselves, particularly in the presence of peers, making the risk itself part of the reward equation. The emotional, immediate reward system wins the internal competition against the rational, delayed control system.