A Virginia teenager leaving a store with the person who may have kidnapped her shows no signs of stress. Was she a willing companion of her abductor? Adolescents are more likely to comply with someone whom they see as an authority figure, said Temple psychologist Laurence Steinberg. They lack the decision-making skills of adults, and focus on the immediate future. "Twelve-year-olds are going to be more shortsighted, more impulsive and less likely to think of the risks involved," Steinberg said.