Hardwired to Connect: The New Scientific Case for Authoritative Communities

Abstract

In the midst of unprecedented material affluence, large and growing numbers of U.S. children and adolescents are failing to flourish. In particular, more and more young people are suffering from mental illness, emotional distress, and behavioral problems. Let's call this first aspect of the crisis epidemiological. The second part of the crisis is intellectual. It concerns failures of understanding. The result is our inability as a society to respond effectively to these deteriorations in child and adolescent well-being. Let us look briefly at both parts of the crisis. This chapter examines the planks and main characteristics of an authoritative community. Several models are looked at in relation to authoritative communities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved). (create)