The Evolutionary Purpose of Adolescent Vulnerability: Decoding and Depathologizing Adolescent Neurobiology and Behavior

Adolescents- human and animal alike- take risks, challenge authority, and navigate social hierarchies as part of their development. In Wildhood, Dr. Barbara Natterson-Horowitz explores how these behaviors are biologically ingrained and essential for survival. This event will examine how evolutionary biology supports the Supreme Court’s “Children Are Different” jurisprudence, reinforcing why adolescent decision-making should be understood through science rather than punishment. Researcher, physician, and author Dr. Barbara Natterson-Horowitz will discuss Wildhood. Marsha Levick, Esq., Chief Legal Officer and co-founder of Juvenile Law Center will connect this groundbreaking research to legal questions around juvenile confessions, Miranda rights, and competence to stand trial. Join us for a compelling conversation at the intersection of law and biology.
Please Note: This event is open to HUID holders only. Please RSVP to receive the location, which will be sent via email prior to the event. For those who cannot attend in person, the event will be recorded and accessible on the Petrie-Flom YouTube channel following the event.
Panelists
- Barbara Natterson-Horowitz, MD, PhD, Lecturer, Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University; Lecturer, Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Clinical Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, UCLA School of Medicine; Author, Wildhood
- Marsha Levick, Esq, Chief Legal Officer and Co-founder, Juvenile Law Center
This event is organized by the Project on Law and Applied Neuroscience, a collaboration between the Center for Law, Brain and Behavior at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School with support from the Oswald DeN. Cammann Fund at Harvard University.