<p style="text-align:start">In Western cultures, adolescence is often viewed as a time of rebellion and irresponsibility. A new article published in the journal <em>Child Development Perspectives </em>synthesized recent research on stereotypes of adolescence using an interdisciplinary approach which integrates developmental psychology, cultural psychology, and neuroscience. </p>
<p style="text-align:start">The findings highlight the importance of avoiding the “one-size fits-all” assumptions about teen stereotypes across different cultures. In particular, the research suggests that how children navigate the adolescent years is driven in part by social constructions of this phase of development and calls for more attention to change negative stereotypes of adolescence at the policy and societal levels. </p>
<p style="text-align:start">The Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) had the opportunity to chat about this important research and its implications with author Dr. Yang Qu from the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University in the United States. </p>