This article by Laurence Steinberg from Temple University explores the social neuroscience perspective on adolescent risk-taking. It addresses two fundamental questions: why risk-taking increases from childhood to adolescence and why it declines from adolescence to adulthood. The author argues that the increase in risk-taking during adolescence is due to changes in the brain's socio-emotional system, particularly the dopaminergic system, which leads to increased reward-seeking, especially in the presence of peers. The decline in risk-taking from adolescence to adulthood is attributed to changes in the brain's cognitive control system, which improves self-regulation. Mid-adolescence is identified as a particularly vulnerable period due to the differing timetables of these changes. The article also discusses the limitations of current educational interventions and suggests that future interventions should focus on changing the context in which risky behavior occurs rather than solely on changing adolescents' knowledge and decision-making skills. Additionally, it highlights the role of peer influence and the neurobiological underpinnings of adolescent risk-taking, including the remodeling of the dopaminergic system and the rise in oxytocin receptors.This article by Laurence Steinberg from Temple University explores the social neuroscience perspective on adolescent risk-taking. It addresses two fundamental questions: why risk-taking increases from childhood to adolescence and why it declines from adolescence to adulthood. The author argues that the increase in risk-taking during adolescence is due to changes in the brain's socio-emotional system, particularly the dopaminergic system, which leads to increased reward-seeking, especially in the presence of peers. The decline in risk-taking from adolescence to adulthood is attributed to changes in the brain's cognitive control system, which improves self-regulation. Mid-adolescence is identified as a particularly vulnerable period due to the differing timetables of these changes. The article also discusses the limitations of current educational interventions and suggests that future interventions should focus on changing the context in which risky behavior occurs rather than solely on changing adolescents' knowledge and decision-making skills. Additionally, it highlights the role of peer influence and the neurobiological underpinnings of adolescent risk-taking, including the remodeling of the dopaminergic system and the rise in oxytocin receptors.