short essay

Refer to Chapter 2 of your textbook and your student notes to write an essay in response to the question below.
Read the question below.
After preparing your response, click the above title link to take the Chapter 2 Essay Quiz. 
Do not open the quiz until you are ready to submit your essay. 
Please save and submit your essay as a word document by browsing your computer and attaching the file in the space provided.

Essay Question:
Anita cannot understand why adolescents are more likely than any other age group to engage in risky behaviors. She has learned in class that individuals undergo significant cognitive advancements during adolescence, and in fact, many adolescents aged 15 and older use the same basic processes that adults use to make decisions. Your instructor has asked you to explain to Anita why risk taking may peak during adolescence. What do you tell her?
Please follow the directions below as you build your essay.  
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/five_par.htm
As you organize your thoughts, consider this:

what does current research re: adolescent risky behavior tell us
what types of risky behaviors are stereotypical to this age?
are the stereotypical ideas based upon fact?
is there a biological explanation for this behavior?
what is meant by developmental "time gap" of cognitive functioning, and how does that relate? 

Content AND format will be graded.  A single paragraph response cannot yield full credit!