青少年高冒险行为与大脑发展

Adolescent Risk-taking and Brain Development

青少年时期是一个转折期,也是冒险行为多发的时期。以往有关青少年冒险行为的研究大多集中在心理学视角与社会关系学视角,双系统竞争理论从生物学视角对青少年高冒险行为作出解释。该理论认为青少年高冒险行为的产生主要是由于大脑中的社会情绪系统与认知控制系统相互竞争作用的结果。社会情绪系统对奖赏寻求起作用,而认知控制系统对执行功能起作用。较早发展的社会情绪系统与较晚才成熟的认知控制系统间的竞争是青少年冒险行为产生的原因。

Adolescence is not only a period of rapid transition but also a period of much more risky and reckless behavior than childhood and adulthood.In the past the main research in this field paid close attention to the psychological perspective and social contextual perspective.This article presents some of the main research in new perspectives from brain and biology in previous studies.It also proposes using Dual System Competing Theory to explain the high incidence of risk-taking during adolescence.Dual System Competing Theory considers that the reason why adolescents take more risks is the result of the competition between two brain networks.The first is the socio-emotional system,which is especially important for reward seeking.The second is the cognitive control system,which works for executive function.The increase in reward-seeking comes early,and the executive function occurs slowly and is not complete until the mid-20s.That is,the competition between two systems is the reason why adolescents are more likely to engage in risky behavior.