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The surprising science of adolescent brains | Jennifer Pfeifer | TEDxPortland

Mon Aug 18, 2025

Adolescence isn’t a time of dysfunction, it’s a peak period of brain development, adaptability, and growth. Jennifer Pfeifer shows us it’s time to flip the script and recognize that young people are acting exactly as they’re wired to, and are capable of far more than we’ve been led to believe.NOTE FROM TED: The relationship between social media and mental health remains an ongoing field of study debated by experts working in the field. To read more about the studies cited in this talk see the footnotes below.[7:52] Clarification: This study specifically notes that 16 year olds have similar cognitive capacity and ability to make deliberative decisions as adults, but psychosocial maturity still takes some time to develop into early adulthood: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6551607/[9:55] This study in the UK found that social media use is one of the least influential factors of adolescent mental health, especially when compared with bullying and lack of family support. https://www.nature.com/articles/s44220-023-00063-7[10:56] Clarification: While there are conflicting findings on the relationship between teen well-being and social media use, this source from January 2020 found a small negative association between social media use and well-being ranging from about 5 to 15% based on several studies and meta-analyses. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00127-019-01825-4******We could not do this without community support. With special thanks to the University of Oregon for their presenting partnership. The world-class stage production by For Good & Co. The incredible legacy bound Event Book provided by Premier Press. Lastly, the brand identity and creative digital craft provided by our Agency of Record - Thesis. All of our Partners and event history can be found at TEDxPortland.com.Jennifer Pfeifer, Professor of Psychology at the University of Oregon, leads the Developmental Social Neuroscience Lab and co-directs the Center for Translational Neuroscience. An expert in puberty and brain development, her research explores how these biological changes impact social relationships, behavior, and mental health in adolescence. Her work is supported by the NIH, NSF, and Oregon Medical Research Foundation. Pfeifer also co-directs the National Scientific Council on Adolescence, bridging developmental science with policymakers, youth organizations, and the public.This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

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