Stereotypes of Adolescence: Cultural Differences, Consequences, and Intervention

Adolescence is often viewed in Western cultures as a time of rebellion and irresponsibility. In this article, I synthesize recent research on stereotypes of adolescence that uses an interdisciplinary approach, integrating developmental psychology, cultural psychology, and neuroscience. I first discuss empirical evidence on cultural differences in stereotypes of adolescence, highlighting the importance of avoiding a one-size-fits-all assumption about such stereotypes across cultures. Then I summarize the impact of teen stereotypes on youth's academic, behavioral, emotional, and neural development. Finally, I present an experimental intervention that can change youth's teen stereotypes and promote positive youth development. Taken together, this body of work suggests that how individuals navigate the adolescent years is driven in part by social constructions of this phase of development. The work also calls for more attention to changing negative stereotypes of adolescence at the policy and societal levels.