Title: The Neuroscience of Adolescent Risk-Taking
Adolescence is the rather delicate stage of human development that precedes
adult life and is usually experienced between 12 and 18 years of age. At this stage,
people experience various changes in cognition, emotion, and social functioning as they
develop toward attaining personal adequacy and autonomy. Adolescence may be
described as a critical and developmental period in life involving increased rates of risk-
taking behavior, intensified emotions, and new and advanced abilities concerning
decision-making. These are majorly prompted by the tremendous brain alterations that
occur in the adolescent nervous system. Therefore, the development of coping
mechanisms may be hampered, and through the use of neuroscientific knowledge the
path by which the increase in levels of risk-taking can be explained during this period.
The adolescent brain is believed to pass through a crucial stage where some of
the brain structures like the prefrontal cortex complete more of its development than
others. This disconnection between decision-making processes and the brain receptors
involved with seeking pleasures may lead adolescents into risky behaviors taking more
time to regard the impact of their actions than the potable benefits of such actions. In
this research, the biological factors that define adolescents and their special status in
the life cycle can be unveiled through a neuroscientific analysis of adolescent brain
development, which will help open new possibilities to understand and mitigate
adolescent risk-taking behavior.
The Adolescent Brain
Adolescence is characterized by a phenomenon of rapid development of the
human nervous system and certain fundamental changes happening in the brain that
could easily dictate record levels of risky behaviors in the human being. Cognitive and
emotional development in adolescents is the result of specific processes that occur in
the cerebral cortex and understanding the details of these processes helps comprehend
the causes of this particular period of life.
The first significant adjustment that occurs in the adolescent brain is the slow
maturation of the prefrontal cortex, which is the part of the brain that is mainly
associated with planning, decision-making, and impulse control. In adolescence, the
brain’s prefrontal cortex becomes fully developed, and the amount of gray matter or
brain tissue comprised of neuronal cell bodies gradually diminishes as the cells’
connections become more intricate. This process called synaptic pruning is a process
that refines and enhances the brain’s cognitive processes.
On the other hand, the limbic system which is responsible for the reward and
emotional regulation zones of the brain, has a comparatively faster development in
adolescence. This area of the brain, for example, parts like the amygdala and nucleus
accumbens become more reactive to rewarding and pleasure-related stimuli as well as
increases an individual’s quest for new experiences and impulse rewards. This
heightened activity in the limbic system might also explain the adolescent’s vulnerability
to risky behaviors and their attraction to situations that have a potential for excitement.
The difference in the growth rate between the prefrontal cortex and the limbic
system can be deemed as the core reason for risk-taking behavior among adolescents.
As the prefrontal cortex which is responsible for impulse control and weighing the costs
and benefits of choices has not fully developed yet and is not nearly as advanced as the
reward circuits during adolescence, young people may be unable to control impulses
well and estimate the outcomes of their actions adequately. This ‘‘dual systems’’ model
of adolescent brain development held that the relative maturation of these two areas is
out of Sync and this may increase the propensity of the youths to engage in risky
behaviors given that the limbic system reacts to rewards in ways that the pre-frontal
cortex cannot adequately govern given that it is partially developed.
Additionally, adolescence is characterized by relevant changes in
neurotransmitter systems, as well as dopaminergic ones. Dopamine, which plays a role
in the cognitive functioning of reward and motivation systems of the brain, experiences
developmental changes during this stage, in particular, adolescents have higher
dopamine receptor density and activity compared to other age groups. Increased
dopaminergic activity may play a role in the adolescent’s increased reward sensitivity,
which in turn potentiates their pursuit of risky/sensation-seeking behaviors as these
generate more immediate rewards.
The neurochemical changes are accompanied by increased plasticity and
flexibility of the adolescent brain so that it can learn more quickly and efficiently. This
increased neuroplasticity, along with the limbic system’s motivation to explore, can
extend adolescents’ risk-taking behaviors to build up new experiences as they construct
the foundations of their development and identity.
Increased consciousness and ability of guidance coming from the prefrontal
cortex, coupled with sensitivity to reward in the limbic system and general
neurochemical changes in the adolescent brain contributes to this neurological
vulnerability. The vulnerability may lead to higher risk-taking during this developmental
stage. Through understanding different neurological changes that characterize the
adolescent brain, one can get an important notion of the biological parameters that
characterize the higher risk-taking propensity characteristic of adolescents. This may in
turn help in devising more successful approaches to unhealthy adolescent development
and choice making.
Types of Adolescent Risk-Taking
Risk-taking behavior is characteristic of adolescence and this is because young
people in this stage of development are more likely to engage in diverse forms of risk-
taking behavior. Some of the most common types of risk-taking observed during this
developmental period include:
Reckless Driving: Young people in their teenhood are perceived to be at a
higher risk of indulging themselves in risky driving behaviors inclusive of speeding,
tailgating, taking links in an area, and driving under the influence of some substances.
All these attributes, along with over-arousal due to higher sensation-seeking and
impulsiveness of the adolescent in addition to the poor functioning of the prefrontal
cortex, contribute to enhanced risk-taking behavior while driving.
Substance Use: That is why adolescents are in the high-risk group in terms of
drugs and alcohol, as many of them try a variety of substances during this period. It is
also not a secret that drugs and alcohol produce positive, or at least pleasure-inducing,
consequences and that these are particularly likely to attract the attention of the
adolescent population who may already be struggling with the ups and downs that this
phase in their lives presents. In addition, many aspects of the brain’s reward pathway
are intensified during adolescence thus meaning that problematic substance use and
addiction are facilitated.
Unsafe Sexual Behavior: Adolescents have poor sexual practices for instance;
they are involved in unprotected intercourse, multiple partnerships, and unsafe
practices. The reasons for the enhanced risk-taking behaviors for sex are because, due
to the surge in hormones, adolescents have a strong sex drive, poor impulse control,
and need for novelty and perceived popularity.
Delinquent Behavior: Adolescents may also engage themselves in a variety of
delinquent or criminal conducts including theft, destruction of property, and violence
among others. These behaviors can be attributed to the natural thrill-seeking
characteristics in adolescents, the pressure they exert from their peers, and the
immature decision-making and impulse control centers in adolescents’ brains.
An awareness of the particular forms of risk-taking in adolescence is vital to form
prevention and elaborate intervention initiatives aimed at improving the adolescents’
choice-making and their well-being.
Functional and Evolutionary Views on Adolescent Risk-Taking
Adolescents are generally involved in high-risk-taking behaviors and these
behaviors can be explained from a functional or evolutionary perspective. From a
functional point of view, the increase in risk-taking evidenced during the adolescence
period might be seen as a useful process. For the characters of this period, it is the task
to search for their individuality, to gain their own experiences of the social world, and to
build up their positions within the peer community. Adolescents’ risk-taking behaviors
include experimenting with different activities and going against the norms because it is
an important phase of exploring boundaries and discovering one’s capabilities and
independence. Thus, these behaviors can be dangerous in the short term, but in the
long run, can lead to personality development in adolescents, skills in problem-solving,
and possession of important life skills.
Moreover, the heightened propensity for risk-taking in the adolescent brain due to
increased sensitivity to rewards and novelty seeking can be seen as a positive feature.
Due to perceiving the potential gains and fun that can be derived from risk-taking
activities, adolescents may feel the urge to move around. This can favorably influence
their learning processes, development of social relations, and the acquisition of such
necessary skills for the successful performing of adult roles.
From an evolutionary angle, risk-taking in adolescence can be explained as a
development phase in which such behavior might have come in handy among
ancestors. Thus, the process of puberty in the traditional societies among hunters and
gatherers implied a set of more risky activities corresponding to this period, including
hunting, fighting, or exploring new territories. Because risky behaviors are prevalent
during the adolescent years, the orientation towards risk could have translated into an
advantage, where engagement in these tasks would have increased the probability of
the successful performance of these vital tasks which would ensure successful
reproduction of the human race.
Also, the higher susceptibility to rewards and the need for new experiences and
intensity could have been useful where the supply of resources, search for partners,
and regulating social statuses were crucial for personal and group effectiveness. The
chances are that because of this rebellious nature of an adolescent, he or she would
have gained all these fundamental tools, aspects that helped boost fitness and therefore
reproductive success.
Although the functional and the evolutionary approaches help to explain the
possible adaptive value of risky behaviors in adolescents, it is necessary to remember
that in contemporary cultures, many of these actions may be dangerous and entail more
losses than gains. An understanding of what may lead to risk-taking in contemporary
youths can help in creating ways how to enhance the benefits of this period while
minimizing the risks that come with it.
Neuroscientific Explanations for Adolescent Risk-Taking
Adolescence is characterized by enhanced risk-taking behaviors and has been
explored thoroughly using a neuroscience lens to understand the neurobiological
correlates of such behaviors. There is another neurobiological theory for the risks taken
in adolescents commonly known as the dual system model, which states that the brain’s
prefrontal cortex and the limbic system are not of equal age. As identified, the prefrontal
cortex which is associated with cognitive control and decision-making, is known to be
one of the last structures that mature in adolescence while the limbic system which
includes the reward and effects system is relatively established at an earlier age.
Neuroimaging studies have suggested that during this development stage, there is a
relative disconnection between the limbic system and the prefrontal cortex, with the
former becoming hypersensitive to reward-related stimuli, while the latter has not
developed sufficient neural capacity to effectively and efficiently regulate impulses and
weigh risks.
A certain imbalance in the brain has been attributed to risk-taking, the reason
being that adolescents are more inclined towards activities that provide thrill and such,
and their self-control mechanisms are not fully developed. Moreover, the dopaminergic
system has also been found to be involved with adolescent risk-taking behaviors.
Dopamine is another neurotransmitter particularly linked to the brain’s reward and
motivation systems; it also changes considerably during adolescence with a temporary
boost of dopamine receptor availability and activity. This can lead to an increased
sensitivity to rewards, respectively, which would enhance the adolescent’s involvement
in risky/sensation-seeking activities.
Moreover, research has indicated that the adolescent brain is more pliable or
plastic, meaning that the ability to learn, gain knowledge as well as master skills is
easily accomplished. This increase in the limbic system combined with the drive for new
experiences in adolescents corrupts the youth into embracing risk-taking behaviors in
the advancement of their development and self-achievement.
With knowledge of the trends of neural mechanisms linking to risk-taking
behaviors in the adolescent age, researchers in this field and clinical practitioners can
design more personalized approaches. These approaches may involve enhancing
healthy brain development in adolescence, such as interventions to boost cognitive
control, normalization of the reward system, and enhancement of decision-making
abilities.
Effects of the Prefrontal Cortex and Impulsivity in Adolescence
The decision-making center of the brain referred to as the prefrontal cortex is an
essential element in controlling risky behaviors during adolescence. This part of the
brain that aids in decision-making, impulse control as well as cognitive control
experiences both structural and functional development in the course of adolescence.
The changes in the risk-taking tendency in the adolescent group are another
aspect of the developmental pattern of PFC, which is determined by the slow
myelination of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). The DLPFC is involved in
decision-making, planning, and evaluation, hence it assists in thinking through the likely
repercussions of one’s actions and controlling one’s actions without necessarily yielding
to the temptation of going ahead and performing the action.
The DLPFC is relatively not fully developed during adolescent age since the
process of synaptic connection and also myelination of the neural structure is under
process even in the teenage and twenties years. This is because adolescents have
underdeveloped DLPFC, and consequently they lack adequate ability to regulate
impulses, visually plan for the consequences, and think logically and reasonably
especially when making decisions concerning emotionally stimulating or rewarding
situations.
Specifically, while the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is associated with
working memory, one of the cognitive abilities that have the least changes across
adolescence, the vmPFC is involved with the processing of emotional information, the
appraisal of the potential impact of aversive and reward-related stimuli, develops more
during adolescents than during childhood. This asynchronous development of DLPFC
and vmPFC can result in more control by emotional and reward-based systems than the
cognitive system hence explaining why the adolescent is a risk taker.
In the same respect, other components of the PFC that interact with other areas
of the brain, for instance, the limbic system that is involved in the processing of
emotional information as well as the seeking of rewards, are also known to undergo
various transformations in adolescents. While the preservation of the neurological link
between the PFC and limbic structure allows an understanding of the key roles of
affective processing in rational thinking, the main focus should be on fostering the
effective interconnection between those two areas.
Nonetheless, it could be posited that in an adolescent brain, the connectivity
between the PFC and limbic system might still be under completion, yielding poor
orchestration, and efficiency of such response, hence amplifying the risk-taking
behaviors in the adolescent.
This way, knowing which definite patterns of activity within the PFC are linked to
impulse control and decision-making during the adolescent period, it much easier for
researchers and clinicians to design specific kinds of intervention and educational
programs. Explaining how proper cognitive control can be developed in adolescent
persons and how risky behavior can be avoided or at least controlled.
The Influence of the Limbic System and Reward Sensitivity in Adolescent Risk-
Taking
However, besides the prefrontal cortex, which is less developed among
adolescents, the limbic system and its increased reactivity to rewards are also
responsible for the risky behavior exhibited by young people. The limbic system is a
complex set of structures within the brain collectively known as the amygdala,
hippocampus, and ventral striatum. They are involved in the evaluation of emotional
stimuli, mood regulation, and reward pathways. This is a part of the brain that is
particularly developed during the teenage years because it helps to determine our
increased enthusiasm towards any rewarding stimulus and the desire to seek new
emotions.
Functional neuroimaging research has established that adolescents demonstrate
heightened activation of the ventral striatum – one of the crucial structures in the brain
that is responsible for responding to rewards or the anticipation of reward events. This
increased sensitivity to rewards suggests adolescents might be overly attracted to
activities that attach high rewards in the short term such as substance use and
engaging in risky sexual behaviors.
In addition, the amygdala, which plays the role of recognizing the significance of
the signal and responding emotionally to it, is still increasing significantly in size during
adolescence. The enhancement in emotional and social activity in the amygdala may
explain why the adolescent is more sensitive to peer pressure, a factor that has been
associated with risk-taking behaviors.
This may hold especially true when it comes to adolescents as such popular
social pressures as the need for acceptance and inclination to compel other people to
adhere to specific behavioral patterns can prevail over the rational thinking mechanisms
in humans. The desire in the limbic system is generally matched to threats as well as
rewards, increasing the motivation to partake in high-risk behaviors, irrespective of real
consequences. Furthermore, the links between the limbic system and the prefrontal
cortex can only enhance the shift between the emotional and the rational during
adolescence. The limbic system activity may dominate with the immature prefrontal
cortex failing to efficiently control impulsive and reward-seeking behaviors, which
increases the potential for risk-taking.
Thus, by identifying the particular neurobiological processes through which the
limbic system impacts adolescent risk-taking, researchers and clinicians may be able to
establish better treatments geared towards moderating those emotionally related
processes. In addition, they can devise more effective ways of helping adolescents
cope with the social contingencies they experience during the course of adolescence.
The Effects of Hormonal Fluctuations and Social Cognition in Adolescent Risk-
Taking
Besides, from the neurobiological point of view, the amplified hormonal changes
and increased susceptibility to social context and peer stimuli during the adolescent
period also contribute to the decisions in relation to the risks.
During adolescence, the levels of hormones such as testosterone and estrogen
rise significantly in the developing adolescent’s brain and body and affect its behavior.
These hormonal changes are highly connected to the development and maturation of
the limbic system especially the amygdala which plays a role in emotional processing
and social recognition.
These include high levels of testosterone that are correlated to higher sensation-
seeking, impulsiveness, and more aggressive dispositions which are primary factors for
the adolescent’s inclination toward risky behaviors. Further, hormonal changes
contribute to the reinforcement of the adolescent’s effects on pressure from peers and
the mind's fascination with the approval of peers during the developmental period of
social-emotional processing networks in the brain.
Research using functional magnetic resonance imaging has revealed that
adolescents’ neural activity increases in the medial prefrontal cortex and the superior
temporal sulcus while they apprehend social information and judge the opinions and
behaviors of their peers. Such susceptibility to social stimuli and the demands of peer
recognition can cause adolescents to become involved in dependent on the tendency to
fit in or conform to social expectations or set out to do things that they think the
perceived societal expectations from them require.
Also, it is important to note that the formation of the social information processing
network in adolescence depends directly on the theory of mind and perspective-taking
development. With advanced cognitive development for thinking about other people and
their thought processes, adolescents become more capable of managing themselves in
social environments, and, thus, may both be more vulnerable to peer pressure and
possess the thinking skills that enable them to take risks more effectively.
Therefore, it must be more comprehensible to researchers and clinicians and be
able to formulate more potent intercessions acute to the multifaceted character of risk-
taking among adolescents due to hormonal fluctuations influencing social cognition as
well as the neuroanatomy of adolescents’ brains. This consists of methods of ensuring
good social-emotional growth, coping with peer pressure, and helping the adolescent to
be rational and competent enough to avert risky behaviors.
Explaining how the development of the adolescent brain makes the individuals
susceptible to taking risks:
This group is considered to be at a high risk since they undergo several
neurobiological, hormonal, and social changes during those developmental years. This
is prevalent particularly due to the protracted maturation of dissimilar sections and
circuits of the brain and society that consequently results in a mismatch of cognitive
regulation and indulgence in socially rewarding aspects.
Thus, one of the critical issues is the rather lengthy ontogenesis of the prefrontal
cortex, particularly the DLPFC which is dysfunctional in the higher-order cognitive
processes including decision-making, impulse control, and risk estimation. The DLPFC
is one of the brain regions that experience the most structural and functional changes
during adolescence through synaptic pruning and progressive myelination of the neural
connections up to early adulthood.
This delay in the time for the activation of the DLPFC means young adults are
much less able to control themselves and make good decisions, especially if they are
placed in emotionally charged or rewarding situations. On the other hand, such areas as
the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) which is involved in the evaluation of
emotional information, and the limbic system which is involved in the pursuit of rewards,
are developed quicker in this stage.
This maturational imbalance has been proposed to result in a ‘hot’ cognitive
control system where the relatively late-maturing DLPFC is outmatched by the limbic
system and this could explain the adolescent’s risk-taking behaviors. This is
compounded by the fact that adolescent undergoes dramatic hormonal changes
including increased levels of testosterone which have been linked with increased levels
of sensation seeking, impulsivity, and aggression.
Also, the social aspect plays a role in risk-taking, as the adolescent is more likely
to pay much attention to the feelings and actions of their peers. Adolescents have
higher activity of the cerebral cortex that is linked to social cognition and interpersonal
acceptance and thus will engage in risky behaviors to fit into the perceived social norm
or improve their position regardless of the consequences.
The increased function of the prefrontal cortex and limbic system with heightened
reward sensitivity, hormonal changes, social processing, and peer pressure all
contribute to the adolescent risk-taking phase or a “perfect storm” where adolescents
are given to risky behaviors although risky to their health.
Therefore, it is vital to comprehend these multiple neurobiological and
psychosocial elements to create specific approaches and ways of learning that will help
to minimize risky behavior and its consequences among adolescents.
Interventions and Implications Towards Minimizing Risk-Taking among
Adolescents
Based on the neurobiological, hormonal, and social systems that contribute to
adolescents’ risk-taking behaviors, a comprehensive approach needs to be taken for
intervention. In this way, emphasizing various aspects of the development and
surroundings of an adolescent, it is possible to minimize the likelihood of risky actions
and increase the capabilities of healthy decisions.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Executive Function Training
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and targeted executive function training are
two successful practice methods that have been proposed to help children with ADHD.
Thus, the main advantages of CBT for adolescents include the improvement in their
impulse control, and decision-making abilities as well as their ability to assess and
estimate potential outcomes of their actions. Through the enhancement of cognitive
control or executive neural functions in the prefrontal cortex, these interventions assist
in bridging the separation between the strong limbic system that provides heightened
emotional and reward systems in adolescents and the immature regulatory abilities in
the adolescent brain.
Another type of useful intervention is the training of executive function, which
covers the enhancement of such competencies as planning, problem-solving, and set-
shifting. By improving these functions, adolescents would also be able to manage the
social and emotional situations they come across and possibly make sound decisions
given the risks involved.
Illicit Drugs Education and Prevention Techniques
Equally important is the program that deals with issues of drug education and
other measures aimed at the reduction of instances of drug usage and the negative
implications that follow it. Due to the executive biases and increased responsiveness to
rewarding stimuli, which include substance, it is equally important to assist adolescents
gain factual information about the consequences of drug intake in the short-run and
future besides learning manners of reducing adverse impact. Some of the areas that
may be covered may include; educating the adolescents about the neurocircuits in drug
addiction, the effects of substance use, and the use of scientifically proven methods of
drug use including safe injection and Narcan. usage for opioid overdose.
Parental involvement and Family interventions
Parents and members of the family cannot be overemphasized when it comes to
the upbringing of children. Thus, parents’ engagement and family-focused approaches
are crucial to prevent youths’ risky behaviors. The proper nature of parent guidance
could include teaching children appropriate ways to express and manage their
emotions, listening and expressing themselves clearly, and modeling good decisions.
Specifically family-centered interventions that aim to improve the functioning of parent-
child relationships, family functioning, and home management have proven to be
effective modalities in reducing several risk-taking behaviors including substance use,
delinquency, and risky sexual practices.
Societal Implications and Broader Applications
The knowledge derived from the findings revolving around adolescent risky
behaviors therefore has very interesting consequences that transcend the individual to
society and education systems. With more information on the neurobiological and
psychosocial features that precipitate increased risky behaviors in youths, it is possible
for the policy makers together with the public health personnel to come up with the most
appropriate measures that need to be taken to prevent such occurrences. This
knowledge can help to design education campaigns, implement effective school and
community programs, and establish policies that target the root causes of risky
adolescent behaviors including substance use, reckless driving, and unsafe sex.
Juvenile Justice System Reform
The areas of adolescent brain development relevant to understanding risk-taking
behaviors are also significant for the juvenile justice system. Rather than continue to
seek primary means of discipline in adolescent behaviors, there ought to be a markedly
different method of handling adolescent brains, one that takes into account their
underdeveloped nature. These may result in the overhaul of rehabilitation-centric
approaches like CBT and recovery from substance use, and youth probation and other
social-emotional programs for young offenders. In appreciating adolescent biological,
psychological, and social development, the justice system handling offenses committed
by youths should be comprehensive and understanding towards juvenile miscreants
and work towards reforming and rehabilitation of the youths.
Educational System and Youth Development
The findings of the neuroscience behind adolescents’ risk-taking also apply to the
sphere of education and its practices and policies. Considering the promotion of
effective educational programs for children and adolescents and the effective use of
tutors, it can be stated that schools should act as the key stakeholders in the
development of programs that can influence the perceiving processes in adolescents
and their choice-making processes. Also, further implementation of neuroscience into
curriculums and instructors’ training can contribute to modifying their mindsets about
adolescent brain functioning and creating more permissive classrooms.
Neurobiological, hormonal, and social factors that explain increased risk-taking
behavior in adolescents show the need for a tailored and integrated approach to
treatment and prevention. By implementing the methods of cognitive-behavioral
therapy, drug education, and family-based therapy, and raising awareness of society
and adolescents about the adolescent brain, we can attempt some work against the
nature of risky behavior in the specified population group. Therefore, this knowledge
has immense significance in the sphere of public health, policies concerning the juvenile
justice system, and educational developments to enhance the quality of adolescents’
lives and help them become responsible members of our society.
Conclusion
Understanding the principles of adolescent brain development and risky behavior
formation sheds light on a range of phenomena essential for the health-related
development of the young generation. Using this knowledge about the interactions
between neurobiological, and hormonal processes together with the social context that
defines adolescents’ risk-taking behaviors, more efficient methods can be suggested
and initiated to assist adolescents in this vulnerable stage.
By utilizing such approaches as cognitive-behavioral therapy, the procedure of
training the executive functions, inducing comprehensive information on drug effects,
and family therapy we can assist adolescents in developing the necessary patterns in
the thought process and behavioral regulation mechanisms, which disregard drug use
as an option for self-interpretation, enhance decision-making processes, and promote
adequate emotional regulation. Understanding and then modifying the neurobiological
and psychosocial processes of risk-taking in youth are crucial steps in promoting
adolescents’ healthy development and reducing negative outcomes of risky behaviors.
In addition, the findings of this research have broader social implications for
public health agencies, the juvenile justice system, and schools from policymakers to
educators. This knowledge when incorporated into these larger social systems can help
shape institutions that are effective in positively influencing the positive and healthy
developmental processes of youth.
It is essential to emphasize the need to invest in the research and apply
evidence-based interventions to address adolescent risk-taking to improve their well-
being and lifelong outcomes as a complex and constantly developing population. Thus,
acknowledging the necessity to respect adolescents, their complex neurobiology, and
psychosocial processes determining their actions, cultures, and societies will become
more accepting and helpful towards this kind of meaningful development stage of
human beings.
