How friendship affects your brain - Shannon Odell
Let’s Begin…
If it seems like friendships formed in adolescence are particularly special, that's because they are. Childhood, adolescent, and adult friendships all manifest differently in part because the brain works in different ways at those stages of life. During adolescence, there are changes in the way you value, understand, and connect to friends. Shannon Odell explores the neuroscience of friendship.
Additional Resources for you to Explore
Theory of Mind, the ability to infer other people’s thoughts, desires, and beliefs, and understand that they can be different from your own, is essential to humans survival and success in the world. Learn more about Theory of Mind with this video. Related to this is the idea that humans, from a very young age, can see emotions in people’s faces. Find out more here.
NPR wrote an article that summarized a study published in Child Development about how forming strong relationships in adolescence can have long-lasting positive effects well into our adult lives.
And finally, for an absolutely fascinating talk about the inner workings of the adolescent brain, and the methods used to research them, watch this TEDTalk given by Sarah-Jayne Blakemore.
Watch the video and finish the Think section to complete the lesson.
About The Science of Adolescence
The adolescent brain is spectacular! Between roughly the ages of 10 and 25, key connections are forming within the brain, between ideas, and between people. Understanding how this “connecting brain” works can help us facilitate positive development and make healthier decisions, enabling us to take advantage of the remarkable potential of these formative years.
Meet The Creators
- Video created by TED-Ed
- Lesson Plan created by TED Ed
