Annual Review of Psychology· 2013Q1· Review
Is Adolescence a Sensitive Period for Sociocultural Processing?
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- Q1SCImago
- 2013year
Short summary
Adolescence may be a sensitive period for sociocultural processing, with ongoing structural and functional brain changes during the second decade of life enabling adaptation to complex social environments.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- Social cognitive processes develop throughout adolescence, enabling navigation of complex relationships.
- The 'social brain' undergoes structural and functional reorganization during the second decade of life.
- These brain changes may indicate a sensitive period for adapting to the social environment.
- Adolescent behaviors are influenced by interactions between the changing social environment and developing cognitive functions.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Adolescence is a period of formative biological and social transition. Social cognitive processes involved in navigating increasingly complex and intimate relationships continue to develop throughout adolescence. Here, we describe the functional and structural changes occurring in the brain during this period of life and how they relate to navigating the social environment. Areas of the social brain undergo both structural changes and functional reorganization during the second decade of life, possibly reflecting a sensitive period for adapting to one's social environment. The changes in social environment that occur during adolescence might interact with increasing executive functions and heightened social sensitivity to influence a number of adolescent behaviors. We discuss the importance of considering the social environment and social rewards in research on adolescent cognition and behavior. Finally, we speculate about the potential implications of this research for society.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Annual Review of Psychology, 2013 · DOI ↗
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Field: Social Psychology
Social PsychologyPsychology