Why Does Kashfia Rahman Say Capable Teens Are Also Careless Risk-takers?

On TED Talks Daily, Kashfia Rahman starts from teens who do well in school, lead clubs and teams, and volunteer, and who also eat Tide Pods on a dare, speed and text while driving, binge drink, and try illicit drugs. At 16, watching classmates in person and on social media, she saw that the more they exposed themselves to harmful risks, the easier the next risk became. A D.A.R.E. certificate from fifth grade did not stop it. Neuroscientists already knew that ages 13 to 18 take more risks than children or adults. Her question was whether that is a sudden turn toward recklessness or a normal phase of the teenage brain, and the exposure effect is the clue she followed.