A Review of Jenni Ogdens Argument on the Likeness of Teenage and Kids Behavior

In her article, Jenni Ogden, a clinical neuropsychologist, suggests that although it may seem as though many teens are purposefully rude, muddled, temperamental, impolite, and plenty of other behaviors, this effect is due to the frontal lobe being a work in progress. Generally, the frontal lobe is fully developed by the age of twenty to twenty-five and once the frontal lobe has matured, the child that once had issues of brashness, should evolve into a “normal” person. According to Ogden, a “normal” person basically means “a fully functional, socially well-adapted adult”. Ogden’s belief has brain and social behavior studies to corroborate her assertion. Jenni goes on to explain just how brain maturation occurs. She explains how axons (the long nerve fibers that allow the neuron cells to connect) are enclosed in myelin, a fatty substance. This insulation of the axon is effective because the transmission of signals is very fast, which helps us think fast and efficiently. Before myelination is finished, the branches off the axons, also known as dendrites, reproduce and multiply quite rapidly, which allows a much better connection between neurons. She goes on to explain that synaptic pruning – synapses that are frequently used strengthen, and the ones that are barely used break, or lapse – is also another process which speeds up in the frontal lobes during the teenage years.

Synaptic pruning and myelination occurs in the posterior brain areas, which is where the sensations are received and made sense of. As our memory develops, we start remembering people and objects and by the time we reach age twelve, our ability to understand and communicate is practically complete. However, many fifteen-year olds may still have not developed the ability to understand the consequences to their actions and persist with bad behavior. Ogden sums up her argument by affirming that brain maturation occurs from back to front, with the frontal lobes developing last. To conclude, she adds that even though they are the last of the lobes to develop, teenagers should not have an excuse for inappropriate behavior or impoliteness, because most teenagers’ attitudes are able to be moderated. In short, I agree with Jenni Ogden’s assessment of the behavior of teenagers and kids alike.

There are a lot of parents who get mad at their children for a constantly having to correct their children’s rudeness, inappropriateness, etc. But as aforementioned, this sort of activity is apparent in virtually all children and is due to the development of the frontal lobe. This is all part of the brain’s growth and development. At twelve, most children should be able to communicate and understand with accuracy. By age fifteen, the child’s poor behavior may still persist, but this is because of the child’s unawareness of consequences to certain actions. By age twenty to twenty five, however, the frontal lobes should be fully developed and the child that once was should be able to act courteous, respectful, and polite to others and shed the immoral personality from his or hers teenage years.