New research carried out by a team from Harvard, Columbia and California universities suggests that the brains of teenagers are wired to learn from their experiences, which makes them better prepared for adulthood. The study set out to test whether the typical reward-seeking behaviour exhibited by teenagers could also make them better at learning from good or bad outcomes.
In tests 41 teenagers aged 13 to 17 and 31 adults, aged 20 to 30, were asked to play a game based on pictures while some of each group's brains were scanned using MRI. The teenagers got more answers correct and memory tests showed they were also better at remembering the detail of why they chose the answers they did.
When the researchers looked at the teenagers' brain scans, they found activity in two areas, the hippocampus and the striatum. Adults mainly used their striatum. They concluded that the connections between two important parts of the growing brain explained why they performed better. The study said this meant they were better at learning from their experiences, which would equip them well for leaving home and gaining independence as adults.
Hippocampus key to reinforcing learning during adolescence
The part played by the hippocampus to reinforce learning during adolescence had not previously been recognised. It is thought to play a key role in the formation of powerful memories during an important stage in life.
Juliet Davidow, a psychology researcher at Harvard University, said the findings could inspire new ways of teaching teenagers.
"If you frame something positively, it could be the case that adolescents will remember things about the learning experience better.
"In everyday life, they're paying attention to their environment in a way that is different from adults."
The researchers are now looking at what other situations or experiences activate this link between the striatum and hippocampus in teenage brains.
The study is published in the journal Neuron.