Running head: THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF ADOLECENT REBELLION 1
The Causes and effects of adolescent rebellion
Dana N. Almberg
Mrs. Disher
December 19, 2014

THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF ADOLECENT REBELLION 2
Abstract
Various levels of teenaged rebellion is common. This can be healthy; adolescents desire independence and may question familial authority and values. It can also become dangerous if the teenager engages in self-destructive behavior as a misguided way to assert independence. The human brain takes until a person’s early twenties to fully develop . Some of the last developments are in regions of the brain responsible for emotional regulation and the ability to accurately balance risk and reward. Teenagers tend to be more hypersensitive to rewards and have higher levels of emotional reactivity than children or adults. Psychologically, teenagers tend to be more susceptible to peer pressure than adults. Furthermore, the stereotype of adolescent rebellion and reckless behavior actually encourages some teenagers to rebel. The effects of rebellion can be serious if they result in illegal or destructive activity. However, rebellion also allows teenagers to discover their limits and create an independent identity outside of the family.
Keywords : Prefrontal cortex; adolescent; limbic system; midbrain reward system; rebellion.

THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF ADOLECENT REBELLION 3
The Causes and effects of adolescent rebellion
Adolescent rebellion is influenced by factors such as social pressure, high stress, desire for independence, and a developing brain. Extreme rebellion may have serious negative consequences but if done in a healthy manner, rebellion may be positive for a teenager. Teenaged rebellion is a way for adolescents to explore new ideas and create their own identities. However, the incomplete connections between the rational prefrontal cortex and the parts of the brain that control emotion, addiction, and reaction to rewards cause rebellion to often be reckless and dangerous.
Biological causes of rebellion
The brain is still developing until an individual’s early 20’s. The connections between the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for problem solving and judgment, and the limbic system, which is responsible for emotion, continue forming into late adolescence. These connections are critical for self-regulation and emotional learning. The prefrontal cortex itself is usually fully developed by 15 or 16 years old so if prompted with hypothetical situations, a teenager can make judgment just as well as an adult. However, in reality this judgment is often overwhelmed by the limbic system’s desire for new, exhilarating experiences, so they are more likely than adults to make poor decisions in an emotionally charged situation. (Harvard Mental Health Letter, July
2005). Adolescents are prone to thrill seeking behavior, partly because the connection between the midbrain reward system and the prefrontal cortex is still developing. The midbrain reward system releases dopamine as a response to stimuli such as addictive drugs. This part of the brain plays a major role in romantic love, addiction, and desire for new stimulation. When compared with adults, teenagers tend to overvalue rewards and novel experiences. Teenagers are also much

THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF ADOLECENT REBELLION 4 more prone to addiction comparatively (Harvard Mental Health Letter, July 2005). Adolescents tend to take bigger risks than adults because they are hypersensitive to possible rewards.
Environmental and psychological causes
The stereotype of a teenager is a defiant and reckless menace to society. Parents who believe this may be encouraging their child to rebel more dangerously by convincing them that it is abnormal to follow laws and to stay out of trouble as a teenager (Buchanan, 2009).
Adolescents, like adults, tend to value social acceptance and many adults believe that it is normal and expected for a teenager to rebel in a self-destructive manner. As a result, some teenagers become more rebellious than they naturally would have. Peers also have a major impact on the form and magnitude of rebellion. Unlike adults, teenagers tend to take more risks if friends are watching. This is why most destructive acts of rebellion tend to occur in groups (Harvard Mental
Health Letter, July 2005). Social pressure from peers and adults creating the idea that destructive rebellion is normal strongly encourages an adolescent to engage in reckless behavior.
Acts of rebellion may also be encouraged by stress. 27% of teens last year reported extreme stress while 55% reported moderate stress (Jayson, 2014). Extreme stress can cause mood problems and may cause a teenager to act out destructively. Due to the hormone imbalances common in adolescence, sleep patterns are disrupted which can also negatively affect mood (Harvard Mental Health Letter, July 2005).
Different values between generations and the desire to create an individual identity outside of the parents are major causes for teen rebellion. Adolescents are still dependent on family but they are beginning to doubt familial views and values. The exploration of other values is a form of healthy rebellion. Questioning societal and familial ideals requires the exploration of other ideals which can be seen as offensive by the older generation. Questioning ideas is

THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF ADOLECENT REBELLION 5 necessary for an adolescent to understand how they see the world but to do this some level of rebellion is required.
Effects of rebellion
To integrate into the adult world, an individual must begin to create their own outlook on the world. To do this, adolescents rebel against the values they were taught as a child. Dangerous rebellion can cause serious problems such as drug addiction and even legal trouble. It may also harm the relationship between a teenager and their family. However, healthy rebellion increases independence and is a vital step towards adulthood. After exploring other views, an adolescent may agree with his or her family’s views. In other cases, a teenager may separate drastically from what they were taught as a child which may create a divide between family members.
Rebellion allows an adolescent to discover their own boundaries and learn new things about themselves. Teenaged rebellion is, in nearly all cases, annoying to adults. However, this does not mean that all rebellion is inherently bad. Destructive rebellion has very harmful effects and must be addressed when it occurs. Rebellion against values and beliefs that a child was taught is often vital for growth into an adult.

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References
The adolescent brain: Beyond raging hormones. (2005, July). Retrieved December 15, 2014, from http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog-extra/the-adolescent-brain-beyond-raginghormones
Buchanan, C. (2009, October 15). Teens behaving badly? Retrieved December 15, 2014, from http://www.wfu.edu/wowf/2009/20091015.buchanan.html
Jayson, S. (2014, February 11). Teens feeling stressed, and many not managing it well. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/02/11/stress-teenspsychological/5266739/