How risk-taking changes a teenager's brain | Kashfia Rahman

Prevodilac: Dragana Savanovic Lektor: Ivana Krivokuća

Have you ever tried to understand a teenager?

Jeste li ikada pokušali da razumete tinejdžera?

It's exhausting, right?

Iscrpljujuće je, zar ne?

You must be puzzled by the fact that some teens do well in school,

Mora da vas zbunjuje činjenica da su neki tinejdžeri uspešni u školi,

lead clubs and teams

predvode klubove i timove

and volunteer in their communities,

i volontiraju u svojim zajednicama,

but they eat Tide Pods for an online challenge,

ali jedu kapsule deterdženta u onlajn izazovu,

speed and text while driving,

brzo voze i pritom šalju poruke,

binge drink and experiment with illicit drugs.

pijanče i eksperimentišu sa ilegalnim drogama.

How can so many teens be so smart, skilled and responsible --

Kako toliko tinejdžera može biti pametno, vešto i odgovorno,

and careless risk-takers at the same time?

i nesmotreno rizikovati u isto vreme?

When I was 16,

Kada sam imala 16 godina,

while frequently observing my peers in person

dok sam često posmatrala svoje vršnjake uživo,

as well as on social media,

ali i putem društvenih mreža,

I began to wonder why so many teens took such crazy risks.

počela sam da se pitam zašto se toliko tinejdžera izlaže rizicima.

It seems like getting a certificate from DARE class in the fifth grade

Izgleda da ih časovi prevencije zloupotrebe droga

u petom razredu ne mogu sprečiti.

can't stop them.

(Laughter)

(Smeh)

What was even more alarming to me

Ono što mi je bilo još alarmantnije je da,

was that the more they exposed themselves to these harmful risks,

što su više bili izloženi štetnim rizicima,

the easier it became for them to continue taking risks.

lakše im je bilo da i dalje rizikuju.

Now this confused me,

Ovo me je zbunilo,

but it also made me incredibly curious.

ali me je učinilo i neverovatno radoznalom.

So, as someone with a name

Kao neko sa imenom

that literally means "to explore knowledge,"

koje bukvalno znači „istraživati znanja“,

I started searching for a scientific explanation.

počela sam da tragam za naučnim objašnjenјem.

Now, it's no secret that teens ages 13 to 18

Nije tajna da su tinejdžeri starosti od 13 do 18 godina

are more prone to risk-taking than children or adults,

skloniji rizikovanju nego deca ili odrasli,

but what makes them so daring?

ali šta ih čini tako odvažnim?

Do they suddenly become reckless,

Da li odjednom postanu nepromišljeni,

or is this just a natural phase that they're going through?

ili je to samo prirodna faza kroz koju prolaze?

Well neuroscientists have already found evidence

Neuronaučnici su već pronašli dokaze

da je mozak tinejdžera i dalje u procesu sazrevanja

that the teen brain is still in the process of maturation --

and that this makes them exceptionally poor at decision-making,

i da su zbog toga izuzetno loši u donošenju odluka,

causing them to fall prey to risky behaviors.

zbog čega postaju žrtve rizičnih ponašanja.

But in that case, if the maturing brain is to blame,

U tom slučaju, ako okrivimo mozak koji je još u razvoju,

then why are teens more vulnerable than children,

zašto su onda tinejdžeri ranjiviji od dece,

even though their brains are more developed than those of children?

iako su njihovi mozgovi razvijeniji od dečijih?

Also, not all teens in the world take risks at the same level.

Takođe, ne rizikuju svi tinejdžeri na svetu na istom nivou.

Are there some other underlying or unintentional causes

Postoje li neki drugi suštinski ili slučajni uzroci

driving them to risk-taking?

koji ih teraju da rizikuju?

Well, this is exactly what I decided to research.

E, pa upravo to sam odlučila da istražim.

So, I founded my research on the basis of a psychological process

Bazirala sam svoje istraživanje na psihološkom procesu

known as "habituation,"

poznatom kao „habituacija“,

or simply what we refer to as "getting used to it."

ili prosto ono što zovemo „navikavanje“.

Habituation explains how our brains adapt to some behaviors,

Habituacija objašnjava kako se naš mozak prilagođava nekim vrstama ponašanja,

like lying, with repeated exposures.

kao što je laganje, sa ponovljenim izlaganjima.

And this concept inspired me to design a project

Ovaj koncept me je inspirisao da napravim projekat

to determine if the same principle

da utvrdim kako isti princip

could be applied to the relentless rise of risk-taking in teenagers.

može da se primeni na neumorno rizikovanje tinejdžera.

So I predicted that habituation to risk-taking

Predvidela sam da habituacija kod rizikovanja

may have the potential to change the already-vulnerable teenage brain

može promeniti već ranjiv mozak tinejdžera

by blunting or even eradicating

ublažavajući ili čak brišući

the negative emotions associated with risk,

negativne emocije povezane sa rizikom,

like fear or guilt.

kao što su strah ili krivica.

I also thought because they would feel less fearful and guilty,

Takođe sam mislila da će ih, zbog manjeg osećaja straha i krivice,

this desensitization would lead them to even more risk-taking.

ova smanjena osetljivost navesti na još više rizikovanja.

In short, I wanted to conduct a research study

Ukratko, želela sam da sprovedem istraživanje

to answer one big question:

kako bih odgovorila na jedno veliko pitanje:

Why do teens keep making outrageous choices

zašto tinejdžeri i dalje donose nezamislive odluke

that are harmful to their health and well-being?

koje su štetne po njihovo zdravlje i blagostanje?

But there was one big obstacle in my way.

Ali imala sam jednu veliku prepreku na svom putu.

To investigate this problem,

Kako bih istražila ovaj problem,

I needed teenagers to experiment on,

trebali su mi tinejdžeri za eksperiment,

laboratories and devices to measure their brain activity,

laboratorije i uređaji da izmerim njihovu moždanu aktivnost,

and teachers or professors to supervise me and guide me along the way.

nastavnici ili profesori da me nadgledaju i da me vode na tom putu.

I needed resources.

Trebala su mi sredstva.

But, you see, I attended a high school in South Dakota

Ali, vidite, ja sam pohađala srednju školu u Južnoj Dakoti

with limited opportunity for scientific exploration.

sa ograničenim mogućnostima za naučna istraživanja.

My school had athletics,

Moja škola je imala sportove,

band, choir, debate and other clubs,

bend, hor, debatni tim i druge klubove,

but there were no STEM programs or research mentors.

ali nije bilo naučnog programa niti mentora za istraživanje.

And the notion of high schoolers

Ali ideja da srednjoškolci

doing research or participating in a science fair was completely foreign.

rade istraživanje ili učestvuju u naučnom sajmu je bila totalno strana.

Simply put, I didn't exactly have the ingredients

Prosto rečeno, nisam baš imala sastojke

to make a chef-worthy dish.

za jelo dostojno pravog kuvara.

And these obstacles were frustrating,

Ove prepreke su me frustrirale,

but I was also a stubborn teenager.

ali sam bila i tvrdoglava tinejdžerka.

And as the daughter of Bangladeshi immigrants

Kao ćerka imigranata iz Bangladeša

and one of just a handful of Muslim students

i jedna od šačice muslimanskih učenika

in my high school in South Dakota,

u mojoj srednjoj školi u Južnoj Dakoti,

I often struggled to fit in.

često sam se borila da se uklopim.

And I wanted to be someone with something to contribute to society,

Želela sam da budem neko ko će nekako doprineti društvu,

not just be deemed the scarf-wearing brown girl

a ne samo tamnoputa devojčica koja nosi maramu

who was an anomaly in my homogenous hometown.

i koja je anomalija u svom homogenom gradu.

I hoped that by doing this research,

Nadala sam se da ću ovim istraživanjem

I could establish this

moći to da utvrdim

and how valuable scientific exploration could be for kids like me

i koliko naučno istraživanje može biti važno za decu kao što sam ja,

who didn't necessarily find their niche elsewhere.

koja nisu našla svoje mesto negde drugo.

So with limited research opportunities,

Sa ograničenim mogućnostima za istraživanje,

inventiveness allowed me to overcome seemingly impossible obstacles.

maštovitost mi je omogućila da prevaziđem naizgled nemoguće prepreke.

I became more creative in working with a variety of methodologies,

Postala sam kreativnija u radu sa raznim metodologijama,

materials and subjects.

materijalima i ispitanicima.

I transformed my unassuming school library

Pretvorila sam skromnu školsku biblioteku

into a laboratory

u laboratoriju,

and my peers into lab rats.

a svoje vršnjake u zamorce.

(Laughter)

(Smeh)

My enthusiastic geography teacher,

Moj entuzijastični profesor geografije,

who also happens to be my school's football coach,

koji je ujedno i školski trener ragbija,

ended up as my cheerleader,

je postao moj navijač,

becoming my mentor to sign necessary paperwork.

ali i mentor koji je potpisivao neophodnu dokumentaciju.

And when it became logistically impossible

Kada je postalo logistički nemoguće

to use a laboratory electroencephalography,

koristiti laboratorijsku elektroencelografiju,

or EEG,

ili EEG,

which are those electrode devices used to measure emotional responses,

tj. uređaj sa elektrodama koji meri emocionalne reakcije,

I bought a portable EEG headset with my own money,

svojim novcem sam kupila prenosivu EEG opremu,

instead of buying the new iPhone X

umesto novog telefona iPhone X

that a lot of kids my age were saving up for.

za koji mnoga deca mojih godina štedi.

So finally I started the research

Konačno sam započela istraživanje

with 86 students, ages 13 to 18, from my high school.

sa 86 učenika iz svoje srednje škole, starosti od 13 do 18 godina.

Using the computer cubicles in my school library,

Koristeći računare u školskoj biblioteci,

I had them complete a computerized decision-making simulation

dala sam im da urade kompjuterizovanu simulaciju donošenja odluka

to measure their risk-taking behaviors comparable to ones in the real world,

kako bih merila njihova rizična ponašanja u odnosu na ona u stvarnom životu,

like alcohol use, drug use and gambling.

kao što su upotreba alkohola, droga i kockanje.

Wearing the EEG headset,

Noseći EEG opremu,

the students completed the test 12 times over three days

učenici su radili test 12 puta u toku tri dana

to mimic repeated risk exposures.

kako bi imitirali periodična izlaganja riziku.

A control panel on the EEG headset

Kontrolna ploča na EEG opremi

measured their various emotional responses:

je merila njihove različite emocionalne odgovore

like attention, interest, excitement, frustration,

kao što su pažnja, interesovanje, uzbuđenje, frustracija,

guilt, stress levels and relaxation.

krivica, nivo stresa i opuštenost.

They also rated their emotions

Oni su takođe ocenili svoje emocije

on well-validated emotion-measuring scales.

na odobrenoj skali za merenje emocija.

This meant that I had measured the process of habituation

To je značilo da sam merila proces habituacije

and its effects on decision-making.

i njene efekte na donošenje odluka.

And it took 29 days to complete this research.

Trebalo je 29 dana da završim istraživanje.

And with months of frantically drafting proposals,

Nakon što sam mesecima mahnito pravila nacrte predloga,

meticulously computing data in a caffeinated daze at 2am,

detaljno izračunavala podatke u kofeinskom bunilu u dva ujutru,

I was able to finalize my results.

uspela sam da završim rezultate.

And the results showed that habituation to risk-taking

I oni su pokazali da habituacija kod rizikovanja

could actually change a teen's brain by altering their emotional levels,

može zapravo promeniti mozak tinejdžera menjajući njihove emocionalne nivoe,

causing greater risk-taking.

izazivajući još veće rizikovanje.

The students' emotions that were normally associated with risks,

Emocije učenika koje su inače povezane sa rizicima,

like fear, stress, guilt and nervousness,

kao što su strah, stres, krivica i nervoza,

as well as attention,

kao i pažnja,

were high when they were first exposed to the risk simulator.

su bile na visokom nivou kada su prvi put bili izloženi simulatoru rizika.

This curbed their temptations and enforced self-control,

Ovo je ograničilo njihovo iskušenje i pojačalo samokontrolu,

which prevented them from taking more risks.

što ih je sprečilo da i dalje rizikuju.

However, the more they were exposed to the risks through the simulator,

Ipak, što su više bili izloženi rizicima kroz simulator,

the less fearful, guilty and stressed they became.

osećali su manje straha, krivice i nervoze.

This caused a situation

Ovo je dovelo do situacije

in which they were no longer able to feel

u kojoj nisu više mogli da osećaju

the brain's natural fear and caution instincts.

prirodan strah mozga i instinkt opreza.

And also, because they are teenagers and their brains are still underdeveloped,

Takođe, pošto su to tinejdžeri i mozgovi im još nisu potpuno razvijeni,

they became more interested and excited in thrill-seeking behaviors.

u njima se probudilo više interesovanja i oduševljenja

u vezi sa uzbudljivim aktivnostima.

So what were the consequences?

Kakve su bile posledice?

They lacked self-control for logical decision-making,

Nedostajalo im je samokontrole za logičko donošenje odluka,

took greater risks

izlagali su se većem riziku

and made more harmful choices.

i donosili štetnije odluke.

So the developing brain alone isn't to blame.

Tako da ne možemo samo kriviti mozak koji je još u razvoju.

The process of habituation also plays a key role in risk-taking

Proces habituacije takođe igra ključnu ulogu u rizikovanju

and risk escalation.

i eskalaciji rizika.

Although a teen's willingness to seek risk

Iako je spremnost tinejdžera na rizik

is largely a result of the structural and functional changes

u velikoj meri rezultat strukturalnih i funkcionalnih promena

associated with their developing brains,

povezanih sa njihovim mozgovima u razvoju,

the dangerous part that my research was able to highlight

opasni deo koji je naglasilo moje istraživanje

was that a habituation to risks

je da habituacija kod rizika

can actually physically change a teen's brain

zapravo može fizički da promeni mozak tinejdžera

and cause greater risk-taking.

i da izazove još veće rizikovanje.

So it's the combination of the immature teen brain

Dakle, u pitanju je kombinacija nezrelog tinejdžerskog mozga

and the impact of habituation

i uticaja habituacije

that is like a perfect storm to create more damaging effects.

koja kao savršena oluja ostavlja štetnije efekte.

And this research can help parents and the general public

Ovo istraživanje može pomoći roditeljima i javnosti

understand that teens aren't just willfully ignoring warnings

da razumeju da tinejdžeri ne ignorišu upozorenja voljno

or simply defying parents by engaging in increasingly more dangerous behavior.

ili prosto prkose roditeljima učestvujući u sve opasnijim načinima ponašanja.

The biggest hurdle they're facing is their habituation to risks:

Najveća prepreka na koju nailaze je habituacija kod rizikovanja:

all the physical, detectable and emotional functional changes

sve fizičke, primetne i emocionalne funkcionalne promene

that drive and control and influence their over-the-top risk-taking.

koje upravljaju, kontrolišu i utiču na njihovo preterano izlaganje riziku.

So yes, we need policies that provide safer environments

Da, trebaju nam zakoni koji omogućavaju bezbedniju okolinu

and limit exposures to high risks,

i ograničavaju izlaganje visokom riziku,

but we also need policies that reflect this insight.

ali nam isto tako trebaju zakoni koji odražavaju ovaj uvid.

These results are a wake-up call for teens, too.

Ovi rezultati su upozorenje i za tinejdžere.

It shows them that the natural and necessary fear and guilt

Pokazuju da prirodni i neophodni strah i krivica

that protect them from unsafe situations

koji nas štite od nebezbednih situacija

actually become numb when they repeatedly choose risky behaviors.

zapravo otupe kada oni uporno biraju riskantne načine ponašanja.

So with this hope to share my findings with fellow teenagers and scientists,

Sa nadom da podelim moja saznanja sa drugarima tinejdžerima i naučnicima,

I took my research

odnela sam svoje istraživanje

to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, or ISEF,

na Intelov međunarodni sajam nauke i inženjerstva, ili ISEF,

a culmination of over 1,800 students

koji je dostigao broj od preko 1800 studenata

from 75 countries, regions and territories,

iz 75 zemalja, regiona i teritorija,

who showcase their cutting-edge research and inventions.

koji predstavljaju svoja najnovija istraživanja i pronalaske.

It's like the Olympics of science fair.

To je kao olimpijada naučnih sajmova.

(Laughter)

(Smeh)

There, I was able to present my research to experts in neuroscience and psychology

Tamo sam predstavila svoje istraživanje stručnjacima u neuronaukama i psihologiji

and garner valuable feedback.

i sakupila važne informacije.

But perhaps the most memorable moment of the week

Ali možda najnezaboravniji trenutak nedelje

was when the booming speakers suddenly uttered my name

bio je kada su glasni zvučnici iznenada objavili moje ime

during the awards ceremony.

tokom ceremonije dodele nagrada.

I was in such disbelief that I questioned myself:

Bila sam u tolikoj neverici da sam se pitala:

Was this just another "La La Land" blunder

„Da li je ovo samo još jedna greška kao sa filmom „La La Land“ na Oskaru?“

like at the Oscars?

(Laughter)

(Smeh)

Luckily, it wasn't.

Srećom, nije bila.

I really had won first place

Stvarno sam osvojila prvo mesto

in the category "Behavioral and Social Sciences."

u kategoriji „bihejvioralne i društvene nauke.“

(Applause)

(Aplauz)

Needless to say,

Suvišno je reći

I was not only thrilled to have this recognition,

da ne samo da sam bila uzbuđena što sam dobila ovo priznanje,

but also the whole experience of science fair that validated my efforts

nego celo to iskustvo sajma nauke koje je uvažilo moje napore

keeps my curiosity alive

održava moju radoznalost

and strengthens my creativity,

i ojačava moju kreativnost,

perseverance and imagination.

istrajnost i maštovitost.

This still image of me experimenting in my school library

Ova slika mene kako eksperimentišem u svojoj školskoj biblioteci

may seem ordinary,

možda deluje uobičajeno,

but to me, it represents a sort of inspiration.

ali za mene, ona predstavlja neku vrstu inspiracije.

It reminds me that this process taught me to take risks.

Podseća me da me je ovaj proces naučio da rizikujem.

And I know that might sound incredibly ironic.

Znam da to može zvučati neverovatno ironično.

But I took risks realizing

Ali, rizikovala sam shvatajući

that unforeseen opportunities often come from risk-taking --

da nepredviđene prilike često dobijamo iz rizika -

not the hazardous, negative type that I studied,

ne od onih opasnih, negativnih koje sam ja proučavala,

but the good ones,

nego dobrih,

the positive risks.

pozitivnih rizika.

The more risks I took,

Što sam više rizikovala,

the more capable I felt of withstanding my unconventional circumstances,

bila sam sve sposobnija da podnesem svoje neobične okolnosti,

leading to more tolerance, resilience and patience

što je dovelo do više tolerancije, otpornosti i strpljenja

for completing my project.

za završetak projekta.

And these lessons have led me to new ideas

Ove lekcije su me dovele do novih ideja

like: Is the opposite of negative risk-taking also true?

kao što su: da li isto važi za suprotno od negativnog rizikovanja?

Can positive risk-taking escalate with repeated exposures?

Može li pozitivno rizikovanje eskalirati sa ponovljenim izlaganjem?

Does positive action build positive brain functioning?

Da li pozitivne radnje dovode do pozitivnog funkcionisanja mozga?

I think I just might have my next research idea.

Mislim da sam upravo dobila ideju za naredno istraživanje.

(Applause)

(Aplauz)