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Young adults, acceptance outweighs risk

November 04, 2006

If you are, or know some teens that are sexually active, you may want to check out this article. It sheds new light on why people tend to take chances, when they know the consequences of their high risk sexual behavior. According to Valerie F. Reyna of Cornell University:

Social acceptance and the allure of rebellion right now outweigh the costs later. (Even adults, not to mention financiers, prefer immediate benefits to future ones.) Teaching teens to assess risks accurately won't decrease stupid behavior -- they're already pretty accurate at gauging the consequences. They just aren't much bothered by them. No wonder 3 million new cases of STDs are diagnosed in U.S. adolescents each year.

Check out the article in its entirety at the Post-Gazette.com.

Posted at 01:27 PM by Phil in the News & Media category/ies.

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