Teens are deeply motivated by rewards, according to a new study; and researchers say it’s because their brains aren’t fully developed.

They uncovered this little factet by asking teens and adults to participate in a game of chance in which, if you won, you’d collect a certain amount of money. The researchers then monitored the part of the brain tasked with doling out psychological rewards.

While the brains of teens and adults lit up with the promise of rewards, of course, it was more pronounced for youth. In addition, teens were more likely to take greater risks in the game for the promise of greater rewards. This, researchers say, points to the idea that teens’ brains simply need to mature a bit to bring reward into a better context. (Fox News)

Paul Asay has covered religion for The Washington Post, Christianity Today, Beliefnet.com and The (Colorado Springs) Gazette. He writes about culture for Plugged In and wrote the Batman book God on the Streets of Gotham (Tyndale). He lives in Colorado Springs with wife Wendy and his two children. Follow him on Twitter.