the maturity gap

• Moffitt (1993) proposed a ‘maturity gap’ theory.Assumption - There is a gap between biological and social maturity at adolescence.The maturity gap underpins the idea of greater risk taking behaviour and impulsivedecision making
• Moffitt argued that – due to higher risk taking and impulsive decision making - thismaturity gap can lead to adolescence-limited delinquent behaviour
• conformity with peers, especially in antisocial situations, increases up to around 14 years beforedeclining again (Berndt, 1979)
• Although potential for autonomy and resistance to peer influence does increase, the influence of the peer group is still considerable and especially so for risky or antisocial behaviours in the mid-adolescence. This is because anxieties over peer rejection peak at this ag
• tudies have used behavioural economic games to examine trust and sharing between two peers(Crone, 2013). In early adolescence, adolescents tend to make more self-oriented choice
• In later adolescence they consider the consequences for others more
• These changes have been related to shifts in activity in the social brain areas
• moving from family to peer group Some conflicts: Independence vs. maintaining parenta lbonds  Acquisition of autonomy (not separation but rather re-organisation of relationships with family
• De-idealise parents
• the man differnece between motiff and Steinberg is that the maturity gap mphasizes the social mismatch between biological capabilities (e.g., puberty and physical maturity)where as steinbergs model
• downplays the role of social constructs like the maturity gap, suggesting that risk-taking is not solely about proving social maturity but arises from inherent brain development
• motiff suggest that adolescents take risks because they are biologically mature but constrained by a lack of social status but steinbregs model suggest that risk-taking primarily through neurobiological mechanisms, such as the timing mismatch between emotional reward sensitivity and regulatory contro
• Early maturers were higher on aggression and delinquency at age14; and this link was explained in full by their association withdelinquent peers in 6th grade (age 11)