When are you actually an adult? - Shannon Odell

Summary

The video script explores the concept of adulthood and the debate over the appropriate age for granting certain freedoms and responsibilities. It discusses the arbitrary nature of age-based criteria, such as the voting age, and the varying maturity levels among individuals. The script delves into neuroscience, explaining how brain development, particularly the changes in gray and white matter, correlates with cognitive development and maturity. It highlights that there is no one-size-fits-all answer to when someone becomes an adult, as this is influenced by a combination of genetics, environment, and personal experiences.

Takeaways

• 📊 Most countries define 18 as the age of adulthood, granting various freedoms and privileges.
• 🗳️ There is a debate about whether age is the best measure of maturity, especially regarding the right to vote.
• 🎉 Some individuals argue for lowering the voting age to 16, while others believe 16-year-olds are not mature enough for such responsibilities.
• 🚗 The script uses driving as an analogy to discuss maturity, with differing opinions on the capabilities of younger individuals.
• 🧠 Neuroscientists have attempted to define adulthood through brain development, focusing on the maturation of gray and white matter.
• 🌐 Gray matter reduction in the brain is a process of selective pruning, strengthening used connections and eliminating under-used ones.
• 🔗 White matter in the brain increases, allowing for fast, long-range communication between different regions, aiding in decision-making.
• 📉 Brain imaging studies show significant changes in gray and white matter volumes during adolescence and into the twenties.
• 🧐 Cognitive development is another way scientists define adulthood, with some suggesting it begins as early as 16 based on reasoning and problem-solving abilities.
• 💔 Emotional and social influences can affect decision-making in young adults, causing them to behave more like younger teens under certain conditions.
• 🏛 Some scientists argue for the expansion of juvenile courts to include late teens and early twenties due to the ongoing changes in the brain during this period.
• 🌊 Neuroscience suggests that maturity comes in waves, with different abilities and behaviors maturing at different times, influenced by genetics, environment, and experience.

Q & A

What is the common age recognized by most countries as the start of adulthood?

Most countries recognize 18 as the start of adulthood, by granting various freedoms and privileges.

Why does the speaker argue that the voting age should be lowered to 16?

The speaker argues that the voting age should be lowered to 16 because they believe that age is an arbitrary and unfair measure of maturity.

What is the speaker's counterargument against lowering the voting age to 16?

The counterargument is that 16-year-olds are not mature enough to make decisions with national consequences.

How does the speaker's sibling justify their eligibility to vote despite being only 15 minutes older?

The sibling justifies their eligibility by stating that they were born 15 minutes earlier, which makes them old enough to vote in the upcoming election.

What is the scientific approach to defining adulthood according to the script?

The scientific approach to defining adulthood involves looking at brain development, including the reduction of gray matter and the increase in white matter.

What is the role of gray matter in brain development?

Gray matter consists of cells and connections that facilitate short-range communication, creating dense information-processing hubs. Its reduction during development is a selective pruning process that strengthens used connections and weeds out under-used ones.

What does white matter in the brain refer to and what is its function?

White matter refers to myelinated connections that allow for fast, far-range communication between information hubs in the brain.

How do imaging studies show the changes in the brain during adolescence?

Imaging studies show that both white and gray matter volumes undergo drastic changes during adolescence and continue through the twenties.

What cognitive development milestone might indicate the start of adulthood according to some scientists?

According to some scientists, adulthood may begin as early as 16, as teens perform just as well on tests that assess reasoning, problem-solving, and critical thinking.

How do emotional and social elements influence the behavior of 18 to 21 year olds during cognitive tasks?

When cognitive tasks include an emotional or social element, 18 to 21 year olds tend to behave more like younger teens, showing younger-teen-like patterns of brain activity.

Why do some scientists argue for the expansion of juvenile courts to include those in their late teens and early twenties?

Scientists argue for this expansion because current systems fail to recognize that the emerging adult brain is still changing and is more susceptible to social and emotional influences.

What does the script suggest about the uniqueness of an individual's journey to adulthood?

The script suggests that each person's journey to adulthood is unique and influenced by genetics, environment, and experience, with different brain regions and mental abilities maturing at different times.