Adolescence is a critical transition period, during which fundamental changes prepare the adolescent for becoming an adult. Heuristic models of the neurobiology of adolescent behavior have emerged, promoting the central role of reward and motivation, coupled with cognitive immaturities. Here, we bring focus to two basic sets of processes, attention and conditioning, which are essential for adaptive behavior. Using the dual-attention model developed by Corbetta and Shulman (2002), which identifies a stimulus-driven and a goal-driven attention network, we propose a balance that favors stimulus-driven attention over goal-driven attention in youth. Regarding conditioning, we hypothesize that stronger associations tend to be made between environmental cues and appetitive stimuli, and weaker associations with aversive stimuli, in youth relative to adults. An attention system geared to prioritize stimulus-driven attention, together with more powerful associative learning with appetitive incentives, contribute to shape patterns of adolescent motivated behavior. This proposed bias in attention and conditioning function could facilitate the impulsive, novelty-seeking and risk-taking behavior that is typical of many adolescents.

青春期是一个关键的过渡期，在此期间发生根本性的变化，为青少年成为成年人做好准备。青少年行为神经生物学的启发式模型已经出现，促进了奖励和动机的核心作用，以及认知不成熟。在这里，我们将重点放在两组基本过程上，即注意力和条件反射，这对适应性行为至关重要。使用由 Corbetta 和 Shulman (2002) 开发的双重注意模型，该模型确定了刺激驱动和目标驱动的注意网络，我们提出了一种平衡，在青年中，有利于刺激驱动的注意力而不是目标驱动的注意力。关于条件反射，我们假设环境线索和食欲刺激之间往往会产生更强的关联，而与厌恶刺激的关联则更弱，在青年相对于成年人。一个专注于优先考虑刺激驱动的注意力的注意力系统，再加上更强大的具有食欲激励的联想学习，有助于塑造青少年动机行为的模式。这种在注意力和调节功能方面提出的偏见可能会促进许多青少年典型的冲动、寻求新奇和冒险行为。