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The youthful impatience grows with increasing testosterone levels
Patience is certainly not for everyone. Especially teenagers often can not go fast enough. Researchers have now discovered why this is so. Thus, the jump in testosterone levels during puberty is responsible for the youthful impatience.
The art of waiting
The hectic world of work and the constant availability via smartphones and Co. have led many people to forget the art of waiting. Some people just can not go fast enough. It is an abomination to have to wait for others or to turn to the cash register. But it is worthwhile to do something about the impatience. Especially for young people, however, this is difficult. Researchers have now found reasons for this.
Often, teenagers can not go fast enough. They then react very impulsively quickly. Researchers have now found reasons for the youthful impatience. (Image: Syda Productions / fotolia.com) Increase in testosterone levels during puberty
Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin and the University of California, Berkeley, attribute the jump in testosterone levels in adolescence to adolescent impatience.
The researchers have for the first time investigated the role of hormones in impulsive decisions in a study published in the journal "Psychoneuroendocrinology".
Since boys are more impulsive than girls, the scientists in their study focused on the investigation of boys between the ages of eleven and fourteen, the institute reports in a statement.
More receptive to immediate rewards
To determine their puberty status, the 72 adolescents gave two morning saliva samples to determine their testosterone levels. To learn more about their impulsive behavior, the study participants also completed a decision test.
They had to make a total of 80 decisions about a hypothetical amount of money that was offered differently near or far in the future. So they could choose between a sooner, smaller amount of money or a higher amount of money in the distant future.
The study shows that a majority of adolescents are more receptive to immediate rewards. About two-thirds of the study participants opted for the smaller amount of money on average, which was faster.
Sensitivity to immediate rewards is associated with the effects of testosterone on certain rewards-related brain regions, such as the striatum.
The purely chronological age of study participants can not explain this sensitivity. Only with increasing age is the time of the reward less important.
Reward good behavior in the short term
"Our study makes it clear that in developmental psychology-oriented studies, the adolescent age - in terms of physical and hormonal maturity - should be considered," explains first author Corinna Laube from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development.
"Developmental differences can often not be moored at the chronological age."
The study is a further step towards a better understanding of impulsive decision-making behavior of adolescents and complements the results of a previous study of the institute.
"Impulsiveness is part of growing up and part of a healthy development. Young people thus acquire new skills that they need as an independent individual. But adolescents can also harm their impulsive behavior, "said co-author Wouter van den Bos of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development.
From an educational perspective, against the background of the available study results, it may be advisable to reward good behavior of adolescents in the short term instead of referring to rewards in the future. (Ad)