How the Teenage Brain Works, with Lisa Damour

Our brains go completely WILD when we go through our teenage years. It’s a time where it feels like every disagreement with our parents turns into World War III, and every idea that could get us killed sounds like the most fun we could ever have. In this episode, we get into the science of what the brain is doing during the teenage years with clinical psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour. Lisa co-wrote the college textbook “Abnormal Psychology” and was a consultant on Disney's “Inside Out 2.” She takes us deep into the developing brain to explain what makes teens tick. Plus, we talk about mental health, how boys and girls are struggling in different ways, and tips for anyone who has big feelings.

Find our transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/ScienceVsTeens

Check out Lisa Damour’s podcast, Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Raising Tweens & Teens, here:

https://open.spotify.com/show/2GIh790via4L7oGAJ2mz1b

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Meet Lisa Damour

(05:33) The teenage brain

(11:20) Big feelings, what they mean, and how to respond

(19:56) The teenage brain and abstract thinking

(22:34) Teenagers and risk-taking

(29:18) How long does adolescence really last??

(33:47) The different kinds of popularity

(41:58) Should we be worried about kids these days?

(46:57) How boys are struggling and how can we help

(51:49) Oddball questions

Credits:

This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman with help from Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, Rose Rimler, Michelle Dang and Meryl Horn. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Wendy Zukerman is the executive producer. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Video editing and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Bobby Lord, Bumi Hidaka, So Wylie, Emma Munger and Peter Leonard.

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