Younger teenagers often experience feelings of inadequacy, as they are smart enough to know what intelligence is, but sometimes feel lacking in knowledge. Researchers at the University of Texas, San Antonio, have found that individuals who are 13 or 14 can soon look forward to more powerful brains, as their mental capacity is growing at an incredible speed.
In a test of kids aged 13 to 17, researchers found that older teens appeared to be more intelligent and that this correlated with a speedier ability to learn.
"Our findings make intuitive sense," said lead author Thomas Coyle. "Performance on intelligence tests reflects, in part, the speed of acquiring knowledge, learning things and solving problems."
Results of this study suggest that inspirational stories for teenagers encourage them to be their best and brightest. It's a common misconception that today's youth do not care about being smart or educated. Many write off the younger generation as only wanting to sit around playing video games and eating unhealthy junk food, but many youngsters are immensely concerned with their brain potential.
In fact, motivational stories about success often begin with an underdog or a careless person turning themselves around and becoming a truly inspiring character. Films like the Karate Kid, Forrest Gump, Rudy, Mighty Ducks, Miracle and Space Jam all center around people who doubt themselves in the beginning but go on to achieve success in life.
These findings should remind teens that there is much to look forward to in the coming years. Even though they may feel that life is boring and meaningless now, their brain function is growing more and more by the day.
