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volunteers to sit on a stool in a shop window display. put onto their kids. Teenagers need to be approached
They then pulled back the curtain to expose them, to be fragile in situations like this. Family members, teachers,
gawked at passer-bys. Before they put the volunteers and friends ought to talk to them in a friendly manner
into this awkward situation they wired them up with a to understand their feelings and concerns. They need
device called GSR that detects galvanic skin response to know they have a right to fail because they are only
(sweat), a useful way to detect anxiety. Both adults 16. With this level of stress if they fail they would feel
and teens participated in this experiment. In adults, the like a disappointment to their family, humiliated by their
response was as expected but with teens, that same friends and thus they feel as though they are not good
experience caused social emotions to go into overdrive: enough to be appreciated by them. This may lead to
the teens were much more anxious, some to the point anxiety and depression. It is stated that right now 25%
of trembling, while they were being watched. of teenagers suffer from anxiety. Because of this level
of stress they have to prioritise their activities. When a
Dr Leah Somerville in Harvard University explained teenager is asked to go to a summer camp and not get
this experiment by saying that for teenagers, social service hours in return he asks why he should even go,
situations carry a lot of emotional weight, resulting in a when he is answered with ‘’It is fun’’ he replies that he
self-conscious stress response of high intensity. That is in does not have time to have fun. They are forced to grow
adolescence, thinking about one’s self is a high priority. up much earlier than they are supposed to.
This self-doubt and self-consciousness is a result of the
pressure of fitting in the status quo. They are forced to ‘’These children whom you spit on as they try to change
pretend like somebody they are not just to fit in and their worlds are immune to your consultations. “They’re
be accepted. The minorities such as members of small quite aware of what they’re going through’’ said David
community, immigrants etc. have to lay low to survive Bowie about the situation and the misunderstanding of
high-school. adolescence in this society. Who we are as teenagers is
not simply the result of a choice or an attitude; it is the
Unfortunately, the trouble does not end when or if they product of a period of intense and inevitable change.
get accepted to a healthy environment. School is not The difference between the teenagers of today and
just about getting good grades anymore. The problem a few decades ago is mirrored by the changes in our
is that teenagers are asked to do too much with not society. We just do not want to accept this change yet.
enough time. They have to worry about failing in exams,
not getting admission into a desirable university, Defne Edirnecik
experiencing a bleak future, no money, and no value in
society. And the cherry on top is the pressure parents

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