Challenging Stereotypes of Teens

Reframing Adolescence as Window of Opportunity

Telzer, Eva H.
Dai, Junqiang
Capella, Jimmy J.
Sobrino, Maria
Garrett, Shedrick L.

Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Eva H. Telzer played lead role in conceptualization, funding acquisition, supervision, writing of original draft and writing of review and editing. Junqiang Dai played supporting role in conceptualization and writing of review and editing and equal role in writing of original draft. Jimmy J. Capella played supporting role in conceptualization and writing of review and editing and equal role in writing of original draft. Maria Sobrino played supporting role in conceptualization and writing of review and editing and equal role in writing of original draft. Shedrick L. Garrett played supporting role in conceptualization, writing of original draft and writing of review and editing.

Eva H. Telzer, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 235 East Cameron Avenue, Chapel Hill, NC 27510, United States [email protected]

Received May 27, 2022

revised August 19, 2022

Accepted October 13, 2022

American Psychologist 77(9):p 1067-1081, December 2022. | DOI: 10.1037/amp0001109

In this review, we seek to challenge negative stereotypes of adolescence and unpack the many ways that the developing brain contributes to positive development during the adolescent years. In particular, we will show that risk-taking is not inevitable and risks can be highly adaptive and positive; adolescents are not overly self-centered but engage in other-oriented prosocial behaviors in remarkable ways; adolescents are not only susceptible to negative peer influence but can resist negative peer influence and conform more to positive peer influence; and adolescents do not orient away from the family, but the family remains a constant and important source of influence into adolescence. We outline considerations that researchers can use to reframe their research questions to provide a more balanced perspective on adolescent development, thereby promoting positive development.