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When are you actually an adult? - Shannon Odell

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The Science of Adolescence

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Most countries recognize 18 as the start of adulthood by granting various freedoms and privileges. Yet there’s no exact age or moment in development that we can point to as having reached full maturity. If there’s no consensus on exactly when we reach maturity, when do we actually become adults? Shannon Odell shares how scientists define adulthood using stages of brain development.

What's one way scientists have attempted to determine adulthood?

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

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