Why Teens Get a Kick Out of Dangerous Stunts: Science behind the Fascination and Its Positive Aspects
By Tina Pokern
5 Min Read
Exploration and Risk-taking: The Crucial Role of Thrill-seeking Behaviors in Adolescent Development - Adolescent Ordeals: The Necessity of Courage Trials for Young Aspirants
The digital era witnessing new, thrilling daredevil challenges promulgated via social media has become an astonishing view among our young generations, specifically the teens. So, what triggers this affinity towards adrenaline rushes, Professor Dr. Möhler?
This phenomenon has been around for quite some time, and it all comes down to the fundamental transformations cascading in adolescents' brains during puberty.
The cerebral structure of adolescents undergoes colossal changes, eventually rendering them vulnerable to impulsive and risky behaviors, including those stimulated on social platforms.
- Partial Brain Development: During adolescence, the brain's development is still in progress, with critical areas such as the prefrontal cortex—empowered for decision-making, risk evaluation, and impulse control—coming online later in life. Consequently, a certain immaturity of these regions leaves them susceptible to impulsive decisions and excessive risks.[1][5]
- Heightened Sensitivity to Social Acceptance: Adolescents exhibit a heightened sensitivity to social validation, fueled by a highly plastic reward system in the brain. Social media provides stimuli that promote dopamine secretion through instant feedback such as likes, comments, and shares, primarily affecting the ventral striatum and amyggdala. This rewarding mechanism encourages them to indulge in impulsive actions to reap social approval and establish status online.[5]
- Brain "Manipulation" by Algorithms: Social media platforms leverage algorithms to maximize engagement by presenting engaging, frequently sensational information tailor-made for each user. Adolescents are particularly susceptible to these algorithms because their self-worth and social identity are still in formation, making them prone to imitating behaviors observed online.[1]
- Deficient Impulse Control and Reduced Executive Function: Deficit in executive control areas like the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex—which governs attention and inhibitory control—contributes to poor impulse resistance and succumbing to peer pressure on social media.[5]
- Mental Health Concerns: Adolescents battling internalized mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, may excessively immerse themselves in social media, compare themselves to others, and depend on online feedback for validation. This emotional susceptibility could heighten their proclivity to participate in daredevil challenges to receive social acknowledgment or distract from negative sentiments.[2]
In a nutshell, the combination of incomplete brain development, heightened social validation rewards, the feedback loop of social media, algorithms, and mental health concerns contributes to adolescents' vulnerability to engage in intriguing, risk-laden challenges online. Long-term exposure to these influences can program neural circuits and persistent behavior patterns.[1][2][5]
- The following are the main factors that contribute to adolescents' fascination with dangerous stunts on social media: incomplete brain development, heightened social validation, the feedback loop of social media, algorithms, and mental health concerns.
- During puberty, the brain undergoes significant changes, making adolescents susceptible to impulsive decisions and excessive risks.
- Social media provides stimuli that promote dopamine secretion through instant feedback, fueling adolescents' affinity towards risky behaviors.
- Algorithms on social media platforms present engaging content tailor-made for each user, making adolescents prone to imitating behaviors observed online.
- Adolescents with internalized mental health issues may excessively participate in daredevil challenges to receive social acknowledgment or distract from negative sentiments.
