logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2025
16m 21s

The surprising science of adolescent bra...

TED
About this episode

Neuroscientist Jennifer Pfeifer digs into the fascinating brain changes driving young people’s behavior during the critical years of adolescence. She debunks some of the biggest misunderstandings about teens — including puberty, hormones and the impact of social media on mental health — and shows how to support kids during this period of growth and possibility. 



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Yesterday
How AI unleashed (not replaced) my creativity | Kelly A. Boesch
After working for years in film, fashion and graphic design, visual artist Kelly A. Boesch found a new collaborator to work with: AI. She walks through how she uses the technology to create dreamlike images and music that remain hauntingly human, exploring the two questions every ... Show More
8m 50s
Sep 13
How to turn setbacks into success | Amy Shoenthal
Success rarely happens in a straight line, with setbacks all but guaranteed along the way. What's the best way to recover? Leadership coach Amy Shoenthal lays out the four phases of the "setback cycle" and explains how to transform difficult moments into opportunities for reinven ... Show More
20m 2s
Sep 12
Why is it so hard for men to open up? A journalist and an entrepreneur answer | Joshua Johnson and Blake Mycoskie
Is conversation a lost art, or is it just evolving? Journalist Joshua Johnson and social entrepreneur Blake Mycoskie answer questions on everything from the male loneliness crisis to what it actually takes to connect with others — and reveal two deceptively simple tips for going ... Show More
30m 6s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2025
The surprising science of adolescent brains | Jennifer Pfeifer
Neuroscientist Jennifer Pfeifer digs into the fascinating brain changes driving young people’s behavior during the critical years of adolescence. She debunks some of the biggest misunderstandings about teens — including puberty, hormones and the impact of social media on mental h ... Show More
16m 21s
May 2022
The Mystery of the Teenage Brain
‘Why are teens prone to risky behaviour?’ asks Dr Mark Gallaway, ‘especially when with their friends?’ 13 year old Emma wonders why she’s chatty at school but antisocial when she gets home. And exasperated mum Michelle wants to know why her teens struggle to get out of bed in the ... Show More
27m 47s
Aug 2021
Teen brains are not broken
Psychologist and neuroscientist Roselinde Kaiser studies the formative years of adolescence to better understand our mental health, even into adulthood. This talk was filmed at TEDxBoulder. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of TED's mission o ... Show More
7m 39s
Feb 2022
The Mystery of the Teenage Brain
‘Why are teens prone to risky behaviour?’ asks Dr Mark Gallaway, ‘especially when with their friends?’ 13 year old Emma wonders why she’s chatty at school but antisocial when she gets home. And exasperated mum Michelle wants to know why her teens struggle to get out of bed in the ... Show More
33m 43s
Aug 2023
Encore - Understanding the teenage brain, with Eva Telzer, PhD
There’s a common stereotype is that teenagers’ brains are immature and underdeveloped, and that teens are “hard-wired” to take unwise risks and cave to peer pressure. But psychologists’ research suggests these negative stereotypes are unfounded and that the teen years are a time ... Show More
31m 47s
Oct 2022
When We Change
What’s going on in the brains of teenagers? How does puberty affect the brain? And why might changing the way we talk about teens lead to changes in their brain structure? In this episode of How We’re Wired, join evolutionary anthropologist Dr Anna Machin as she picks apart the n ... Show More
27m 50s
Aug 2022
Understanding the teenage brain, with Eva Telzer, PhD
There’s a common stereotype is that teenagers’ brains are immature and underdeveloped, and that teens are “hard-wired” to take unwise risks and cave to peer pressure. But psychologists’ research suggests these negative stereotypes are unfounded and that the teen years are a time ... Show More
31m 18s
Feb 2022
The Mystery of the Teenage Brain
Remember how awkward and confused you felt as a teen? It's a time of so many big changes – growth spurts, body hair, and acne, just to name a few – but perhaps the most radical transformation is going on inside the adolescent brain. CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gu ... Show More
22m 26s
Jan 2023
The Mystery of the Teenage Brain
Remember how awkward and confused you felt as a teen? It's a time of so many big changes – growth spurts, body hair, and acne, just to name a few – but perhaps the most radical transformation is going on inside the adolescent brain. Dr. Sanjay Gupta dives into the neuroscience of ... Show More
23m 5s