How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality
Adolescence: How to Build an Adult (From the Archive)
May 18, 2025
Leah Somerville, a Harvard psychology professor, and Connor Wood, a research scholar specializing in rituals, dive into the complex world of adolescence. They discuss how adolescence is a critical transitional stage, highlighting the unique development of the adolescent brain. The conversation reveals the importance of rites of passage in helping young people navigate adulthood. They also touch on the cultural significance of these rituals and the challenges of defining adulthood in modern America, offering insights on personal growth and societal expectations.
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Quick takeaways
- Adolescence is a gradual transition marked by societal expectations and personal experiences that shape identity and readiness for adulthood.
- Rituals, particularly initiation rites, play a vital role in facilitating the transition to adulthood by providing recognition and structured challenges for adolescents.
Deep dives
Understanding Adolescence
The podcast delves into the complexities of adolescence, highlighting that this transitional stage is not a clearly defined moment but rather a gradual process. Cultural markers like voting, drinking, and tax independence do not align perfectly with biological maturity, resulting in confusion for many teenagers. Historically, the transition to adulthood has always been challenging, as teens navigate between the carefree aspects of childhood and the responsibilities of adulthood. This period is marked by societal expectations and personal experiences that shape their identity and readiness to step into adult roles.
