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Course Description

Summary

Adolescence sometimes has a bad reputation—teens are often seen as impulsive, hormonal, irresponsible beings who talk back, do drugs, have risky sex, and drive too fast. In this class, we will flip this belief. Backed by the science of adolescent brain development, we will discuss adolescence as a time of malleability, social engagement, resilience, identity development, emotional spark, and creativity. We will discuss the causes and drawbacks of adolescent risk taking, but also the benefits of risk taking to facilitate identity development and social relationships. We will discuss how the adolescent experience is influenced by culture and policies.