Final answer:
Adolescents may take more risks than adults due to increased neural reward center activity during risk-taking and possible evolutionary advantages. These behavioral tendencies continue into emerging adulthood, a period of significant identity exploration and development.
Step-by-step explanation:
While adolescents develop the ability to evaluate risks and rewards similarly to adults, they may still be more prone to risk-taking behaviors. One reason for this phenomenon is that the adolescent brain experiences more activity in the neural reward center during risk-taking than adults, which may lead to a heightened sense of reward associated with risky behaviors. Furthermore, psychological and evolutionary factors may also play a role. Some scientists believe that there's an evolutionary benefit to risk-taking in adolescence that encourages young people to leave their family of origin and seek out independence and opportunities for starting their own family.
It's also worth noting that the concept of the 'adolescent storm and stress' is not as extreme as once thought, and most conflicts between teens and parents are over mundane day-to-day issues. Nevertheless, the developmental stage of emerging adulthood is a time of identity exploration and may influence the values and behaviors of individuals, perhaps maintaining a propensity for risk-taking during this period.