One in four U.S. teens have sent or received explicit pictures or messages via his or her cell phone, according to an Associated Press/MTV poll. Many kids think ‘sexting’ is fun.
Youth groups often have more than their fair share of “good kids”; but statistically, some of them likely still have been involved in “sexting.” Some experts say it’s because youth simply don’t know any better. While the brain’s pleasure sensors are fully developed by the mid-teens, the frontal cortex—the seat of reasoning—isn’t up to speed until folks reach the early 20s. This means that for several years, teens are far more motivated by what seems fun at the time than considering the possible ramifications.
Sometimes they think of it as a joke; they have a laugh about it,” says Kathleeen Bogle, a sociology professor at Philadelphia’s La Salle University. “In some cases, it’s seen as flirtation. They’re thinking of it as something far less serious and aren’t thinking of it as consequences down the road or who can get hold of this information. They’re also not thinking about the worst-case scenarios that parents might worry about.” (Associated Press)
