© 2025
In touch with the world ... at home on the High Plains
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
We recently completed the changeover to a new, much improved audio management system, including a new program scheduling computer, file servers, workstations and more secure and reliable IT networking between our studios in Garden City and Amarillo. This work involved thousands of audio files and lines of programming code, so you may hear some glitches in our programming as we "burn-in" the system in the coming days. We apologize for any disruptions to your listening. If you have questions or problems to report, please contact HPPR's Technical Director, Alex Fregger (afregger@hppr.org).

Why teenagers make risky decisions

Updated November 11, 2022 at 10:17 AM ET

Part 2 of the TED Radio Hour episode Life Stages Of The Brain

Teenagers often make risky choices that appear absurd in the eyes of their parents. But neuroscientist Adriana Galván says these decisions are critical for adolescent brain development.

About Adriana Galván

Adriana Galván is a Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she serves as the Jeffrey Wenzel Term Chair in Behavioral Neuroscience.

Her work focuses on brain development — how cognitive and social behaviors change from childhood to adulthood. Through her research on the teenage brain, she seeks to inform youth-related policies such as juvenile justice.

Galván also serves as Dean of Undergraduate Education at UCLA. She completed her B.A. in Neuroscience and Behavior at Barnard College, Columbia University and her Ph.D. in Neuroscience at Cornell University.

This segment of TED Radio Hour was produced by James Delahoussaye and edited by Sanaz Meshkinpour. You can follow us on Facebook @TEDRadioHour and email us at TEDRadioHour@npr.org.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Manoush Zomorodi
Manoush Zomorodi is the host of TED Radio Hour. She is a journalist, podcaster and media entrepreneur, and her work reflects her passion for investigating how technology and business are transforming humanity.
James Delahoussaye
[Copyright 2024 NPR]
Sanaz Meshkinpour
[Copyright 2024 NPR]