Compared to children and adults, adolescents
A) engage in a greater number of risky behaviors in the real world.
B) perceive fewer risks on laboratory questionnaires.
C) make more deliberate decisions in the real world.
D) are less likely to make a cost-benefit analysis of risks.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Research has shown that compared to children and adults, adolescents engage in more risky behaviors in the real world. This may be due to a combination of factors, including increased sensation-seeking tendencies, an immature prefrontal cortex (which is involved in decision-making and impulse control), and heightened emotions. While adolescents may perceive fewer risks on laboratory questionnaires, this does not necessarily translate to their real-world behavior. Adolescents are also capable of making deliberate decisions and weighing the costs and benefits of risky behavior, but their decision-making processes may be different from those of children and adults.

Compared to Children and Adults, Adolescents