Increased time spent with peers may attune the teenage brain to the reward value of risky behaviour, leading to a focus on short-term benefits over long-term.
Researchers found that, when tested in front of their peers, teens took more risks in a driving simulator than when tested alone. The behaviour of adults tested was the same in both scenarios.
Teens also displayed more activation of brain structures involved in evaluating rewards when being watched by their peers.
Read more at Association for Psychological Science