Peer Influence and Adolescent Behavior

In our story, Jimmy Moran was with peers when he committed his crime, so Alan visited with Dr. Larry Steinberg of Temple University to see how peer influence affects adolescent behavior. In this segment, Alan takes the "stoplight test," a test Steinberg gives participants in a scanner. His research points toward the presence of peers as especially influential to adolescents in encouraging more risky behavior, like running a yellow light at a stoplight. Steinberg's research has influenced Supreme Court decisions declaring it unconstitutional that adolescents receive the death penalty or life in prison with out possibility of parole in non-homicide cases.

This segment was taken from episode two "Deciding Punishment," from the broadcast, "Brains on Trial with Alan Alda."

[ataraxia]

It does make me sad thinking of how many adults are in prison for crimes they did as teenagers that they wouldn’t anymore.

[sofastuffing]

if I was a teen playing this and I knew my friends were watching I would simply not run the red light. rip to alex but I'm different

[kirstinstrand]

When I worked with young drug addicts; my belief was that when parents did not have a meaningful relationship with their kid, the kid would value his peers, instead of their parent. Then, if the kid got in with the wrong peers, trouble would begin. If the kid found heathy friends, he might turn out differently.
However, lost kids never choose healthy friends.

[adolfocabrinihormazabal]

Nice video. I will use it for a class.

[lanceslifepursuittv]

The MRI doesn't affect the screen

[yams]

Yo what's the answer to number 1?