Respect teens for their maturity
OVERVIEW
Treat teenagers as individuals, respecting their capabilities. Teenagers are going through a crucial phase of development where they seek autonomy and independence.
Avoid treating teenagers as children. Infantilizing activities can be demotivating for teenagers. When they feel like the activities are too childish or not age-appropriate, they may disengage or lose interest in participating.
Dos and Don’ts
RECOMMENDATIONS 1/2
Avoid using excessively bright colors, “cute” animated visuals, or patronizing language
Significance
- In our research, we found that these attributes signal to teenagers that a game/activity is for young children, for example, their little siblings.
- Teenagers can feel insulted being asked to play this game
RECOMMENDATIONS 2/2
Avoid stereotyping
Significance
- This is a crucial part of providing autonomy. Refraining from making assumptions based on age, gender, or appearance allows teens to be treated as individuals with unique qualities and talents.
PREVIOUS
UP NEXT