Teens and their parents seem programmed to clash, and it appears there actually could be a scientific reason behind those adolescent battles.

Teens and their parents seem programmed to clash, and it appears there actually could be a scientific reason behind those adolescent battles. According to recent research, parts of the teenage brain “shuts down” when it hears mom’s criticism, and scans show reduced activity in the areas of the brain associated with emotional control and empathy. The results of the study could be interpreted in a few ways, one of them being that the reaction is a “kind of protective effect to help stop conflict from spiraling.” (Wired, Mic)