Final answer:
Recent strain theories illustrate that most teens only engage in minor conflicts with parents, with such disagreements reducing over time. Additionally, risk-taking in adolescents is linked to activity in the brain's reward center, but not necessarily to impulsivity or risk perception. Adolescents also face unique age-based social expectations and are influenced by broader social and political contexts, including the effects of social media.
Step-by-step explanation:
Recent strain theories concerning young people have evolved from the idea of typical adolescent storm and stress to a more nuanced understanding of youth behavior and development. Research has shown that only a minority of teens experience significant conflicts with their parents and that these are usually over everyday issues. As adolescents mature, the frequency of such conflict tends to decrease.
Newer studies, including neuroscientific research using fMRI, have examined the adolescent brain's role in behaviors such as risk-taking. Findings from Galvan et al. (2007) suggest that while the neural reward center is active during risk-taking in adolescents, this does not necessarily correlate with impulsivity or risk perception. This challenges the notion that adolescents are more impulsive compared to other demographics.
During emerging adulthood, a life stage from 18 to the mid-20s, there are opportunities for identity exploration in areas of work and love. Also, theories such as the conflict perspective explore how different age groups, including adolescents, have varying levels of access to social resources and face different social expectations.
The proliferation of social media has also affected political socialization, with young people able to connect worldwide, potentially reinforcing existing beliefs and creating 'echo chambers.' Meanwhile, evolutionary theories have suggested a biological basis for the increased propensity for risk-taking during adolescence, speculating that it aids in motivating young people to leave their family and begin their own.
With an understanding of these theories, we can better appreciate the complexities of modern youth behavior, going beyond common myths (e.g., the idea that teens can eat anything without gaining weight) and recognizing that their behaviors, including political engagement, are shaped by a range of biological, social, and cultural factors.