http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=1911762005 STROPPY teenagers fall out with their parents partly because they fail to pick up on signs of sadness and anger as their brains are "rewired" for adult life, a scientist said yesterday.
A study of 600 young people between the ages of six and 17 found the ability to recognise these emotions in photographs dropped dramatically during puberty, leaving many teenagers with the same level of understanding as a child of eight.
Professor David Skuse, of University College London, suggested this may explain the teenage angst as parodied by comedian Harry Enfield's character "Kevin".
The research also found that boys of six are significantly worse at reading emotions than girls and while an unruly boy at school may appear to be defying a teacher who expressed disapproval, he may actually not notice he is being scolded