4 Troubled Teens Blog

A study from the University of Chicago indicates that teenagers with histories of violent behavior get pleasure from watching others suffer.

"They're not only indifferent to pain - they love it," said Dr. Benjamin Lahey, lead author of the study.

Dr. Lahey and his colleagues used MRI scans to monitor brain activity of sixteen boys, ages 16 to 18 years old. Half had histories of aggression and violence, such as using weapons, stealing or starting fights, and the other half did not. Both groups watched videos of one person inflicting pain on another while they were hooked up to the brain scanning devices. The amgydala and ventral striati (the two parts of the brain linked to feelings of reward) of the aggressive teens became very active when they watched the videos. The differences between the two groups were significant, Dr. Lahey said, but he noted that the study was small.

Dr. Lahey said these results mean that the aggressive teens "experience seeing pain in others as exciting, fun and pleasurable." He and his colleagues had been expecting to find that aggressive teens were cold and indifferent to the pain of others, and not that they enjoy watching it.

This study appeared on the website of the journal Biological Psychology.

Labels: violence, mental_health, ethics

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Almost one-third of U.S. high school students admit to shoplifting, and 64 percent say they cheat on tests. Yet 93 percent are "happy with their ethics and character."

A survey of 29,270 students from randomly selected high schools found that cheating in school is extremely common and on the increase. Almost 40 percent of students admitted to cheating more than two times in the past year on a test, and 38 percent said they used the Internet to plagiarize. Almost half the boys and 36 percent of girls reported lying to save money; almost a quarter stole something from a parent or relative in the past year, and 20 percent stole from a friend.

Nevertheless, 77 percent told researchers from the Josephson Institute in Los Angeles that "When it comes to doing what is right, I am better than most people."

Mel Riddle, associate director the National Association of Secondary School Principals, believes today's young people are under more pressure to perform because of increased competition.

"They have opportunities their predecessors didn't have [to cheat]," he said. "The temptation is greater."

Labels: ethics, stealing, cheating

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments