Two teens were arrested in Melbourne last month after horrific video footage of them pushing an unsuspecting elderly fisherman off a pier went viral.
The “prank” appeared to have been undertaken and filmed for the purpose of social media content. The man had to be rescued by good samaritans and the teens have been charged.
Some children have a larger appetite for risk than others, which social media can play into.Credit: Getty
Soon after, a schoolboy made headlines after being filmed on a footbridge pouring a bottle of milk on women enjoying a boat ride on Melbourne’s Yarra River.
It is easy to explain this behaviour away as poor parenting, problem children or with the rationale that “kids will be kids”. But we can better explain human behaviour by considering biological, psychological and social influences.
Invisible risks, invisible consequences
Perhaps the most important factor to consider is the development of a young person’s brain. The evidence is clear that a person’s brain does not fully mature until they are well into their 20s.
The prefrontal cortex of the brain is the last part to develop fully. The function of the prefrontal cortex is higher-order tasks such as decision-making and emotional regulation. Importantly, this is the part of the brain that considers information that is not immediately obvious.
So when a child rides their bike on a footpath, the adult behind them might tell them to slow down just in case a car reverses from a driveway. But the child doesn’t foresee this risk because there is no car to be seen. The potential risk is clear to the adult but, as it isn’t immediately identifiable, it is invisible to the child.
From viral social media ‘pranks’ to hooning, what makes teens behave so badly?
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26.02.2024
Two teens were arrested in Melbourne last month after horrific video footage of them pushing an unsuspecting elderly fisherman off a pier went viral.
The “prank” appeared to have been undertaken and filmed for the purpose of social media content. The man had to be rescued by good samaritans and the teens have been charged.
Some children have a larger appetite for risk than others, which social media can play........
© The Sydney Morning Herald
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