Is Adolescence a Sensitive Period for Sociocultural Processing?

Abstract

Adolescence is a period of formative biological and social transition. Social cognitive processes involved in navigating increasingly complex and intimate relationships continue to develop throughout adolescence. Here, we describe the functional and structural changes occurring in the brain during this period of life and how they relate to navigating the social environment. Areas of the social brain undergo both structural changes and functional reorganization during the second decade of life, possibly reflecting a sensitive period for adapting to one's social environment. The changes in social environment that occur during adolescence might interact with increasing executive functions and heightened social sensitivity to influence a number of adolescent behaviors. We discuss the importance of considering the social environment and social rewards in research on adolescent cognition and behavior. Finally, we speculate about the potential implications of this research for society.

Body image and adolescence: A behavioral impairment model

“…This variable was taken as a mediator in processes, a variable involving changes in maturation and coping, and not merely a chronological variable. Looking at the average scores, it may be observed that in the later years of adolescence (mainly the study period from 17-21 years) sensitivity to peer evaluation (IR) diminished (Blakemore and Mills, 2014). …”

Adolescent Susceptibility to Deviant Peer Pressure: Does Gender Matter?

“…It is clear from previous studies that peers affect adolescents' decisions to engage (or not engage) in risky behaviors (Blakemore and Mills 2014;Miller 2009). Social acceptance becomes central to much of adolescent behavior, perhaps because it is a developmentally sensitive period in which youth are highly attuned to picking up on and responding to social cues from their social environments (Blakemore and Mills 2014).…”

“…It is clear from previous studies that peers affect adolescents' decisions to engage (or not engage) in risky behaviors (Blakemore and Mills 2014;Miller 2009). Social acceptance becomes central to much of adolescent behavior, perhaps because it is a developmentally sensitive period in which youth are highly attuned to picking up on and responding to social cues from their social environments (Blakemore and Mills 2014). Thus, to the degree that social conformity is perceived as central to popularity among peers, early and middle adolescents are especially vulnerable to peer pressure as they strive toward peer approval and acceptance (Gavin and Furman 1989).…”

“…A growing body of work has begun to establish the predictive power of susceptibility to deviant peer influence on adolescents' risk-taking behaviors, a determinant of behavior that appears to be a general risk factor across genders. Building on the burgeoning research showing adolescents are highly attuned to picking up on and responding to social cues from their environments (Blakemore and Mills 2014), we examine whether and how deviant peer influence affects adolescent males and females differently during a period of development in which gender stereotypes may be especially influential in shaping perceived social norms (de Visser and McDonnell 2011;Young et al 2009). …”

Adolescent friendships predict later resilient functioning across psychosocial domains in a healthy community cohort

“…Adolescence is a key developmental time period for the emergence of psychosocial difficulties, and mental health disorders (Thapar et al 2012;Blakemore & Mills, 2014). To promote adaptive psychosocial functioning (PSF) during adolescence, appropriate conceptualisation and quantification of resilient functioning and its predictors is a crucial first step.…”