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Aging faculty always quip that students are getting younger—but if you saw my 800 students this morning, you’d be struck by how young they look.
In the past, there were always students who looked way more mature and sophisticated. Not so this semester.
In this post, I’d like to go far out on a limb and compare the biological process of neoteny, which favored the development of juvenile traits in many animals as they underwent domestication, to social neoteny: the juvenilization of the young in contemporary American society. Neoteny is the retention of juvenile features in the adult animal. In domesticated species, this often means that adults retain physical or behavioral characteristics typically associated with young animals of their wild counterparts.
Dogs are perhaps the most striking example of neoteny in domesticated animals. Compared to wolves, domestic dogs exhibit smaller jaws and teeth, floppy ears, shorter muzzles, more frequent barking, reduced aggression, playfulness into adulthood and dependence on humans for food and care.
Cats, too, show some neotenous traits, though less pronounced than in dogs. These traits include frequent meowing, smaller size and retention of playful behavior.
Domesticated cattle exhibit a smaller brain size relative to body size, more docile behavior and earlier sexual maturity.
Domestic pigs have shorter snouts, curly tails, floppy ears in some breeds and less aggressive behavior.
Domesticated chickens display smaller brain size, more frequent egg laying and reduced territorial behavior, while domesticated sheep and goats show retention of wool or hair, reduced seasonal breeding patterns and more docile behavior.
The process of neoteny in domestication likely occurred through selective breeding, where humans favored animals that were less aggressive and easier to handle, more adaptable to human environments, capable of breeding year-round or more frequently, and more physically appealing because they resembled their juvenile form.
This selection process over thousands of years led to genetic changes that promoted neotenous traits. These traits made the animals more suitable for human use and cohabitation, but often at the cost of reducing their ability to survive independently in the wild.
Slave owners were strongly attracted to the idea of neoteny. Their goal was to produce what Aristotle called natural slaves—individuals he believed were inherently suited for servitude due to their supposed intellectual and moral inferiority. In colonial and antebellum American, slave owners sought to erase African cultural identities and replace them with a subservient mentality, by banning traditional African languages and religions, separating families to break cultural continuity, and imposing Christianity in a way that emphasized obedience and subservience.
Many slaveholders treated those they enslaved as perpetual children, denying them autonomy and decision-making power. This paternalistic approach was meant to create dependency and docility. Through a system of punishments and rare rewards, slaveholders attempted to condition enslaved people to accept their status. This included brutal physical punishments for disobedience and small privileges for compliance. Attempts were made to instill a sense of inferiority and helplessness in enslaved people, aiming to crush their spirit and will to resist.
Pro-slavery propaganda often portrayed enslaved people as childlike, happy in their condition and incapable of self-governance. This narrative was pushed not only to justify slavery to outsiders but also in an attempt to convince the enslaved themselves. Laws were created that defined enslaved people as property rather than persons, attempting to codify their status as “natural” servants into the legal system. Despite these extensive and cruel efforts, the notion of “natural slaves” remained a myth. The constant occurrence of slave revolts, escapes and various forms of resistance demonstrated the fundamental human desire for freedom and dignity.
The very need for such elaborate systems of control and oppression exposed the lie at the heart of the “natural slave” concept. The resilience and persistent struggle for freedom among the enslaved stands as a testament to the failure of these attempts to create “natural slaves.” Still, the attempt to assert control in the most insidious way—by infantilizing human beings and internalizing a sense of inferiority—was one of the hallmarks of American slavery.
Neoteny, a biological process favoring juvenile traits, has shaped not only our relationship with domesticated animals but also power dynamics in human societies, culminating, I’d like to suggest, in the juvenilization among today’s youth. As neoteny in domesticated animals produced more docile and dependent creatures, similar social and technological forces are extending juvenility in modern youth, potentially creating a generation less equipped for a mature independence.
The desire to maintain control through infantilization—an objective of slaveholders—was designed to mirror the process of neoteny in domesticated animals. A somewhat similar process is being applied to today’s children, raising questions about the long-term consequences for human development and society. As you no doubt have read, today’s children and adolescents are, in many respects, growing up slower than in the recent past. They’re less likely to smoke, drink, date, acquire a driver’s license or engage in sex, even though sexual maturation is occurring earlier than in the past. The traditional markers of adulthood are regarded as distant future events rather than near-term possibilities for young adults.
Just as neoteny in animals resulted in the retention of juvenile characteristics into adulthood, today’s youth are experiencing a prolonged period of dependency. This could be seen as a form of social neoteny, where adult responsibilities and experiences are delayed. Contemporary society’s extreme risk aversion has contributed to behavior in adults that is slowing the maturation of the younger generations. The geography of childhood has shrunk. Less time is spent outside. Unsupervised, unstructured group play has diminished. Today’s children spend much more time alone, engaged in solo activities, looking at screens or taking part in digitally mediated interactions. The commercialization of childhood has contributed to slower maturation and delayed independence.
The creation of teen and tween markets has extended the period of childhood, encouraging young people to remain in a state of extended adolescence. Products and media targeted at these age groups often emphasize youthful behaviors and attitudes, discouraging the adoption of more adult responsibilities. Young people are positioned as consumers rather than producers or contributors, delaying the development of practical life skills and hindering their sense of capability and independence.
The proliferation of digital products aimed at youth has created a generation that is highly dependent on technology for social interaction, entertainment and even basic tasks. This dependency can delay the development of real-world social skills and problem-solving abilities, while limiting opportunities for the young to develop resilience, decision-making skills and independence through experiencing and overcoming challenges. In addition, marketing tends to idealize youth, making growing up seem less desirable, creating a reluctance to embrace adult responsibilities and roles. Today’s consumer economy has also extended financial dependence on parents. The extension of formal education, delaying entry into the adult workforce, has also contributed to juvenilization and contribute to a sense of inadequacy or unpreparedness for the realities of adult life.
At the risk of gross overgeneralization, the changes that I have described mirror how humans selectively bred for juvenile traits in domesticated animals. Digital technologies play a role similar to domestication, creating environments that reduce the need for certain adult skills and behaviors, thus inadvertently promoting neotenous traits in users. The desire to protect children from harm may well be inadvertently stunting their development, much like how neoteny in domesticated animals results in less developed survival skills. Extended education and delayed entry into the workforce could be seen as a form of artificial neoteny, keeping young people in a state of economic dependency longer. While biological neoteny involves physical traits, the neoteny we see in human society is more behavioral and social.
If my speculations about arrested development have any validity, then we, at colleges and universities with large numbers of traditional-aged undergraduates, need to ask how we can create an environment that encourages students to take on more adult responsibilities, develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills and engage more deeply with the world around them. The goal would be to graduate students who are not only academically prepared but also emotionally mature, socially adept and ready to take on the challenges of adult life.
Our campuses are well positioned to counteract these trends and help students develop into more mature, independent and responsible adults. However, these changes will require a significant shift in institutional culture and will inevitably face resistance from various stakeholders who consider these concerns outside their campus’s purview. Here are some strategies and tactics that institutions might consider. In terms of curriculum:
- Integrate life skills training into the undergraduate experience.
- Integrate more internships and co-op experiences into degree programs.
- Implement senior projects that require independent research and execution.
- Create opportunities for students to present their work to external audiences.
- Encourage entrepreneurship initiatives.
- Expand service-learning opportunities and create programs for students to engage with local government and civic organizations.
- Encourage collaborative research projects with real-world applications.
- Offer work-study programs that mimic real-world employment situations.
Regarding pedagogy:
- Adopt more student-led and inquiry-based learning approaches.
- Incorporate more real-world problem-solving and project-based learning.
- Increase use of case studies and simulations to mirror real-world scenarios.
Consider campus life initiatives like these:
- Encourage peer-to-peer advising.
- Implement mentorship programs pairing students with alumni or community leaders.
- Promote more diverse social interactions through mixed-age housing or study groups.
- Encourage participation in community problem-solving initiatives.
To instill global perspectives:
- Foster interactions with international students and expand cultural exchange programs
- Increase study abroad opportunities and make them more accessible.
To cultivate leadership skills:
- Create more opportunities for students to lead campus initiatives and organizations.
- Create learning communities where students take on rotating roles of responsibility.
- Implement a leadership curriculum and offer microcredentials or certificates in leadership skills.
- Create more opportunities for student governance and decision-making.
To foster independent living skills:
- Provide opportunities for students to manage their own living spaces and budgets.
To promote health and wellness:
- Make self-care, stress management, physical fitness and personal health management a priority.
To encourage ethical decision-making:
- Integrate ethical decision-making scenarios across disciplines and encourage debate and discussion of complex moral issues.
- Encourage debate and discussion of complex moral issues.
To strengthen students’ social skills:
- Emphasize public speaking and presentation skills across disciplines.
- Teach conflict resolution and negotiation techniques.
- Encourage participation in debate clubs and public forums.
In an era where extended adolescence and delayed adulthood have become increasingly common, colleges and universities must redefine their role in society. Higher education needs to offer more than just academic instruction and career preparation. It should serve as a transformative experience—a crucible for personal growth, self-discovery and maturation.
The modern college experience should be a journey of self-formation, providing students with the tools and experiences necessary to develop into resilient, adaptable and emotionally intelligent adults. This expanded mission is crucial in counteracting the societal forces that have, in many ways, juvenilized young people and sheltered them from the very experiences essential for developing grit, coping skills and a strong sense of self. To achieve this, institutions of higher learning must create environments that challenge students to step outside their comfort zones, confront difficult realities and take on real responsibilities.
Colleges should provide opportunities for students to make consequential decisions, manage their own living spaces and take charge of significant projects. This could include student-led research initiatives, community outreach programs or campus governance roles. Curricula should incorporate regular opportunities for introspection and self-assessment. Journaling, portfolio development and mentored self-reflection sessions can help students develop a deeper understanding of their values, strengths and areas for growth.
Instead of shielding students from failure, colleges should create safe spaces for students to take risks, make mistakes and learn from them. This might involve challenging academic projects, entrepreneurial initiatives or outdoor adventure programs that push students beyond their perceived limits.
Courses and workshops on interpersonal communication, conflict resolution and emotional regulation should be integrated into the core curriculum, helping students navigate complex social and professional environments.
Expanded study abroad programs, cross-cultural exchanges and curricula that engage with global issues can broaden students’ perspectives and prepare them for an interconnected world.
Practical skills like financial management, time management and basic home economics should be taught alongside academic subjects, ensuring students are prepared for the practicalities of independent adult life.
Partnerships with local communities can provide students with opportunities to engage in real-world problem-solving, fostering a sense of civic responsibility and agency.
By embracing this expanded mission, colleges can become true incubators of adulthood, helping students not just to learn, but to grow into capable, resilient and self-aware individuals. This approach recognizes that education is not just about acquiring knowledge, but about becoming—becoming more fully oneself, more fully capable and more fully prepared for the complexities of adult life.
In doing so, higher education can play a crucial role in reversing the trend of extended adolescence, producing graduates who are not only academically prepared but also emotionally mature, socially adept and ready to take on the challenges and responsibilities of adulthood. This reimagined college experience can serve as a bridge between youth and adulthood, providing the scaffolding necessary for young people to construct their adult selves and step confidently into their future roles as professionals, citizens and leaders.
