Why do teenagers lose their motivation at school, and what can we do about it? Developmental psychologist Sibel Altikulaç examined this question from a broad perspective.
She arrived at a nuanced conclusion: motivation is not a single phenomenon, but the result of a complex interaction between personal beliefs, social attitudes, and biological processes in the adolescent brain.
In her research, Altikulaç shows that different perspectives — from ideas about intelligence and effort to societal beliefs about the teenage brain — each influence, in their own way, the value young people attach to certain behaviors and the expectations they hold about their success. Together, these factors ultimately determine how motivated someone is.
Interconnection between elements
Altikulaç emphasizes that there is no single cause for the decline in school motivation during adolescence. “We often focus on one factor — for example, the teenage brain or the reward system — but motivation arises from the interplay between all these elements,” says Altikulaç.
An important insight from her research is that beliefs — both conscious and unconscious — play a major role. Not only the thoughts of the young people themselves, but also how parents, teachers, and society talk about teenagers, influence their motivation. Negative assumptions can unintentionally lead to behavior that confirms those very expectations.
A nuanced perspective
Altikulaç therefore calls for a balanced approach to scientific knowledge about teenagers. “If we, as adults, communicate too one-sidedly about what teenagers can or cannot do, we risk reinforcing unhelpful beliefs,” she warns.
Her findings highlight the importance of a nuanced view of motivation during adolescence. Not only schools, but also parents, policymakers, and the media play a role in shaping a positive and realistic image of young people — one that leaves room for growth, mistakes, and development.