Psych 41 (Chapter 15)Pdf

Kathleen Stassen Berger

Prepared by Madeleine Lacefield

Tattoon, M.A.

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Part V

Adolescence: Cognitive Development

Chapter Fifteen

Adolescent Thinking

Teaching and Learning

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…adolescence combines ego, logic,

and emotions… ego overwhelms

logic; sometimes emotions overrides

both…

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• Adolescent Thinking

– brain maturation, intense conversation,

additional years of schooling, moral

challenges, and increased

independence occurs between 11 and

18 years of age

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• Egocentrism

– adolescent egocentrism

• a characteristic of adolescent thinking that leads young people (ages 10-13) to focus on themselves to the exclusion of others– a young person might believe that his or her

thoughts, feelings, and experiences are unique, more wonderful or awful than anyone else’s.

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• The Invincibility Fable

– an adolescent’s egocentric conviction

that he or she cannot be overcome or

even harmed by anything that might

defeat a normal mortal

• unprotected sex, drugs,

or high speed driving

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• Imaginary Audience

– the other people who, in an adolescent’s

egocentric belief, are watching, and

taking note of, his or her appearance,

ideas, and behavior

• this belief makes many teenagers very

self-conscious

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• Egocentrism Reassessed

– recent waves of research has found that

many adolescents do not feel invincible.

– egocentrism ―may signal growth towards

cognitive maturity‖ (Vartanian, 2001)

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• Formal Operational Though

– Piaget’s theory, the fourth and final

stage of cognitive development,

characterized by more systematic logic

and the ability to think about abstract

ideas

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• Piaget’s Experiments

– …showed that, in contrast to concrete operational children, formal operational adolescents imagine all possible determinants, and systematically:

• varied the factors one by one

• observed the results correctly

• kept track of the results

• drew the appropriate conclusions

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• Piaget’s Experiments

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• Hypothetical-Deductive Though

– …formal operational thought is the

capacity to think of possibility, not just

reality

• hypothetical though

– reasoning that includes propositions

possibilities that may not reflect reality

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• Abstract Thinking

– deductive reasoning

• reasoning from a general statement, premise, or principle, through logical steps, to figure out (deduce) specifics—top-down thinking

– inductive reasoning

• reasoning from one or more specific experience or facts to a general conclusion, may be less cognitively advanced than deduction—bottom-up reasoning

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• Intuitive, Emotional Thought

– …because adolescents can use

hypothetical-deductive reasoning does

not mean that they use it…

– …adolescents find it easier and quicker

to forget about logic and follow impulse

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• Two Modes of Thinking

dual-process model

• the notion that two networks exist within

the human brain, one for emotions and

one for analytical processing of stimuli

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– intuitive thoughts

• thought that arises from an emotion or a hunch, beyond rational explanation—past experiences, cultural assumptions, and sudden impulses are the precursors of intuitive thought—contextualized or experiential thought

– analytic thought

• thought that results from analysis, such as a systematic ranking of pros and cons, risks and consequences, possibilities and facts… analytic thought depends on logic and rationality

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• Comparing Intuition and Analysis

– sunk cost fallacy

• the belief that if time or money has

already been invested in something, then

more time or money should be invested

– because of this fallacy, people spend money

trying to fix a ―lemon‖ of a car or sending

more troops to win a losing war

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• Better Thinking

– adolescents use their minds with more

economy than children

– with age thinking is more efficient and

less likely to go off on a tangent

– analytic mode joins the intuitive mode

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• ―Given the nature of the adolescent

mind, we are left with the question to

ponder: What and how should

teenagers be taught?‖

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– secondary education

• the period after primary education and

before tertiary education….it usually

occurs from about age 12 to18, although

there is some variation by school and by

nation

• traditionally grades 7th through 12th

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– separate schools have been created

for children who have outgrown

primary school

– once called high school, with younger

students put in separate schools called

junior high (7th,8th,9th grades)

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– middle school• a school for the grades between elementary

and high school...middle school can begin with 5th grade or and usually ends with 8th

grade

• with puberty occurring earlier than in years past…often at age 11… many intermediate middle schools have been established to educate 6th graders with 7th and 8th graders

• 9th graders have been reassigned to high schools

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– middle school

• academic achievement often slows down and behavioral problems become more commonplace

• the first year of middle school is called the ―low ebb‖ of learning

– many teachers feel ineffective

– long term academic trajectories are strongly influenced by experienced in grades 6th-8th

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– middle school

• middle school scheduling means teachers

have many students

• bonding between students and teachers is

key to learning…yet, doesn’t always occur do

to scheduling

• students’ relationships with one another

deteriorate... due to the numbers of people

they come in contact with in schools

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– middle school

• answers are not clear… adolescent

egocentrism is particularly strong in

early adolescence and the intuitive

thought generally overwhelms logic

• research finds that egocentrism,

intuitive thought, and logic coexist in

every classroom

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• Technology and Cognition

– is no longer limited only to developed nations

– teenagers worldwide use the Internet

– adults hope that computers will be a boon to learning

– some fear that technology will undercut respect for adults and schools

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• Technology and Cognition

…it is easy to see egocentrism and intuitive thought in adolescent use of technology… it is easy to see the educational possibilities… however, it is not obvious how adults can guide teenagers through the current maze of technology.

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• Transitions and Translations– students find that changes, even positive

ones, are disruptive

– transitions from one school to another are difficult, decreasing a person’s ability to function and learn

– changing schools just when the growth spurt and sexual characteristics develop is bound to create stress

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• Transitions and Translations

– hormones, body shape, sexual

impulses, family and culture contribute

to disorders in transition

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• Teaching and Learning in High School– adolescents think abstractly, analytically,

hypothetically, logically… personally, emotionally,

intuitively and experientially

– by high school, the curriculum and teaching style

is often analytic and abstract

– adolescents can use logic to override the ―biases

that not only preserve existing beliefs but also

perpetuate stereotypes and inhibit development.‖

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• Focus on the Brightest

– an evaluation that is critical in

determining success or failure… if a

single test determines whether a

student will graduate or be promoted,

that is a high-stakes test

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• Focus on the Dropouts– not every student who begins secondary

school stays until finished

– developed nations typically require students to stay in school between 14 and 18, with age 16 being the average

– in the U.S. and Canada 90% are high school graduates

– most dropouts leave at the age of 17

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• Student Engagement

– students who are capable of passing classes are as likely to drop out as those with learning disabilities

– persistence, diligence, and motivation play more crucial roles than intellectual ability when it comes to earning a high school diploma

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– many students express boredom and

unhappiness with school

– honor students and delinquents have

―high rates of boredom, alienation, and

disconnection from the meaningful

challenge‖ of school

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– students are often disengaged

• usual because formal operational

thought is promoted

• egocentric and intuitive thought, are

more rational and social, and are

usually excluded

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– students are often disengaged

• teachers are hired for their expertise in

one or more academic fields, rather

than their ability to relate to adolescents

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– possible improvements

• keep high schools small

– 200 to 400 students

• encourage extracurricular activities

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• School violence

―The same practices that foster

motivation and education can also

prevent violence.‖– students are less likely to be destructive or

afraid if …• they are engaged in learning

• bond with teachers and fellow students

• are involved in school activities

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• School violence

– studies also show that metal detectors,

and strict punishment, are more likely

to increase violence than decrease

violence

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• School violence

– primary prevention to improve school climate

• increase friendships

• strengthen teacher-student relationships

• promote student involvement

– programs that teach conflict resolution have also had some success

Education

Psych 41 (Chapter 15)Pdf