10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People

Acclaimed developmental psychologist David Yeager reveals the new science of motivating young people in this groundbreaking book. It is a must-read for parents, educators and mentors. ___________________________________ ‘Required reading for anyone who aspires to be a wise influence on the young people they care about.’ Angela Duckworth ‘One of the most fascinating and important books of the past decade . . . It will change millions of lives.’ Carol Dweck ‘This book is life-changing . . . a must-read for anyone who works with young people.’ Laurie Santos, Professor of Psychology at Yale University and host of The Happiness Lab podcast 'An important and extremely useful book.' Andrew Huberman __________________________________________ In 10 to 25, David Yeager explains the emerging science of adolescent and young adult brains to reveal how we can engage, teach and support the young people in our lives. Neuroscientists have discovered that around age ten, changes in the brain spur young people to crave socially rewarding experiences, such as pride, admiration, and respect, and to become highly averse to social pain. This sensitivity to status and respect continues into the mid-twenties. 10 to 25 helps adults to use this science to learn how to encourage young people and avoid frustrating patterns of miscommunication and conflict. Yeager explains how to adopt the mentor mindset – a leadership style that’s attuned to young people’s need for status and respect – by following a few highly effective and easy-to-learn practices. These include validating young people’s perspectives (rather than dismissing them), asking them questions (rather than telling them what to do), and holding them to high standards (rather than coddling them). Yeager’s scientific experiments have shown these practices reduce a wide variety of behaviour problems, including mental health issues, unhealthy eating, stress and purposelessness. Young people in this age group are poised to learn, grow, and accomplish incredible things – if only we can tap into the basic neurobiological systems that drive their motivation and behaviour. 10 to 25 offers long-term strategies to help nurture well-adjusted, independent, accomplished young adults, and is necessary reading for all parents, educators and mentors.

About the Author :
David Yeager, PhD, is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and the cofounder of the Texas Behavioral Science and Policy Institute. He is best known for his research conducted with Carol Dweck, Angela Duckworth, and Greg Walton on short but powerful interventions that influence adolescent behaviours such as motivation, engagement, healthy eating, bullying, stress, mental health, and more. His research has been featured in The New York Times Magazine, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Scientific American, CNN, Fox News, The Guardian, The Atlantic, and more. Clarivate Web of Science ranks Yeager as one of the top 0.1% most-influential psychologists in the world over the past decade.

Review :
Ambitious and revelatory . . . 10 to 25 offers baffled adults new approaches—and possibly new hope—during some of their families’ most difficult years. A valuable resource for every parent, boss, coach, and teacher struggling to help young people reach their potential. David Yeager has spent his career designing experiments that inspire students to aim higher, persist longer, and achieve more. His engaging, data-driven book is filled with practical insights to turn you into a better motivator. This book is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand what makes the years between 10 and 25 so emotionally fraught and occasionally treacherous—and at the same time so full of incredible potential. As a parent of a teenager, this book gave me a valuable new way of seeing my son’s journey. As a reader concerned for the future, it gave me a new sense of hope. Here, Yeager gets into the nitty-gritty: how the adolescent brain differs from ours, his top tips for communicating with the next generation, and the different mindsets we take when interacting with those younger than us. It’s a challenge for adults to motivate youth ages 10 to 25. Years of research claim that these kids are drowning in hormones, have undeveloped brains, and just don’t want to listen. Developmental scientist Yeager, however, sees hope in this generation. He turns the research on its head by examining why these adolescents tune in or tune out. . . . Yeager offers concrete guidelines. This is a gold mine for anyone dealing with people in this age group.