ANTH 3490 - Adolescence in the Wild

Adolescence represents a formative yet vulnerable period of human life. We are no longer children, yet far from being competent adults. We have social motivations that may lead us into danger, and we find ourselves treated differently by everyone— from familiar adults in our lives to society at large. This life stage represents a pivotal moment for developing relationships with friends, mentors and others that can sustain us— in continued interaction or in memory—throughout life. Adolescence is also a critical risk period for developing lasting mental health and substance abuse problems. Why does such a formative yet vulnerable period exist in human life? How can we learn to socially and emotionally thrive in adolescence? We will investigate these questions through (1) learning how not only humans across cultures and time, but our closest living relatives bonobos and chimpanzees and a handful of other species (e.g. dolphins, elephants), experience learning and vulnerability during adolescence and (2) through building mentoring relationships with young adolescents (8th graders) via partnership with the Salt Lake Center for Science Education. The latter will include leading 8th-graders during a 2-day, 3-night field trip at the University’s Bonderman Field Station in Rio Mesa. This course is 3-credits and has no pre-requisites.