Peer Review

Deficit or Development?

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Jun 23, 2022 by Psychology

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:

This learning object is found on the website of the Association for Psychological Science (APS). It consists of a recorded KeyNote Address (53:30, YouTube) given by APS Fellow BJ Casey (Professor of Psychology, Yale University) at the International Convention of Psychological Science on March 7, 2019 in Paris. A background article provides a brief decription of Professor Casey's work, which demonstrates "why the seemingly deviant behaviors of adolescence are actually an intrinsic part of brain maturation."

A quote from the website offers an excellent overview: "Adolescents are more likely to engage in risky behaviors and suffer from mental illness compared with people in other age groups. But some developmental psychological scientists argue that the rash decisions, impulsive behavior, and susceptibility to peer pressure that mark this period are an important developmental feature, not a bug."

Type of Material:

Web-based article and YouTube video/presentation

Recommended Uses:

The presentation and additional materials could be used in a variety of ways.

They would be useful to review prior to a class discussion on the importance of self control and its development.
They would also be useful as an in-class presentation for students to watch (and discuss) after an introduction to self control and adolescence.

Technical Requirements:

There are no technical requirements beyond the use of a web browser. The peer reviewers used Google Chrome with no problems.

Identify Major Learning Goals:

The material focuses on aspects of self control with a focus on adolescence including how these behaviors are a normal part of development.

Learners will understand the impulse control involved in adolescent decision-making, as presented through a review of related research.
Learners will understand that adolescent brain development continues past the age of 18-21 years.

Target Student Population:

College General Ed, College Lower Division, College Upper Division, Graduate School, Professional

Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

While prerequisite knowledge is not strictly required, the ability to understand research procedures and to read graphs (reporting data) is beneficial in the use of this presentation.

Content Quality

Rating:

Strengths:

The presentation highlights 4 key questions:

1 – Under what situations does self control break down in adolescents?

2 – When does this ability mature or reach adult levels?

3 – How does self control vary across individuals?

4 – How do social and environmental factors (e.g., socioeconomic status in group vs outgroup, race & ethnicity, social media, isolation, incarceration) impact self control?

The content is thorough, and multiple research studies are discussed.

Concerns:

The approach to presenting the applicability of this topic is appropriate for professional researchers and graduate students, but may be confusing to undergraduates who lack research experience. Instructors who present this material in undergraduate courses will want to augment their lectures with explanatory background.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:

Strengths:

A variety of research results -- conducted via the collaborative efforts of faculty at well-known research universities -- are presented. Portions of the presentation could be used to focus on specific questions related to impulse-control in the adolescent brain.
A key shared research finding is that adolescents are more responsive to social cues. Underscoring this central point will help those both close to and far from adolescence to understand the material.

Concerns:

Although the research is well-identified, the presentation lacks somewhat in "tying it all together" in an applicable manner for those less experienced in the topic. Instructors who use this material in class will want to embed it within a larger, comprehensive lecture or exercise on the subject.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:

Strengths:

The presentation is easily available in a familiar "click here" format. The entire presentation plays well. The hosting website offers multiple opportunities for the curious audience to further explore related topics.
Closed captioning in English is well done.
On leaving the site and returning, the video starts from the point at which the visitor left off.

Concerns:

None.

Other Issues and Comments:: This presentation offers a secondary benefit when viewed by undergraduate students, as it provides an example of the type of presentations available at professional conferences.
Creative Commons: