How Might Adolescents' Tendency to Engage in Such Risky Behaviors

question 203

Multiple Choice

How might adolescents' tendency to engage in such risky behaviors as unsafe sex and experimental drug use reflect brain development during childhood and adolescence

• A)The corpus callosum is still developing during adolescence, impeding communication between the two hemispheres of the brain.
• B)The left hemisphere matures more slowly than the right, delaying the development of logical thinking abilities.
• C)The prefrontal cortex matures slowly, slowing adolescents' ability to think rationally.
• D)The limbic system does not develop fully until early adulthood; adolescents therefore have a poor understanding of their own emotions.

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Definitions:

Health Status

An individual's overall condition of physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Human Responses

Reactions or actions in response to internal or external stimuli, important in understanding health and disease.

Initial Planning

The first phase in the planning process, involving the setting of goals and formulation of strategies to achieve desired outcomes.

Ongoing Planning

The continuous process of developing, updating, and maintaining plans to meet goals or adapt to changing circumstances.