Qualitative Changes in Thinking of Adolescents

Areas to be Covered

Recapitulation of Piagetian Theory Characteristics of Formal Operational Thought Information Processing View Impact of Cognitive development on Adolescents Involvement of Social Cognition in Adolescent Development Nurturing Cognitive Development in Adolescents.

Recapitulation of Piagets Theory

Cognitive Development
Refers to the development of the ability to think and reason. Piaget concluded that there are four stages of cognitive development in a childs life. These stages helped to explain the ways children think, retain knowledge, and adapt to the environment.(Boeree,2000)

Stages of Cognitive Development

Sensorimotor Stage
Infant uses senses and motor abilities to understand the world, ranging from reflexes to complex combinations of sensorimotor skills.

Preoperational Stage
Children begin to represent the world with word, images, and drawings. Indulges in makebelieve play.

Concrete operational Stage

Children can perform operations. Logical reasoning replaces intuitive thought as the reasoning can be applied to specific or concrete examples.

Formal Operational Stage

The adolescent reasons in more abstract, idealistic, and logical ways.

Difference in thinking at Concrete Operational Stage and Formal Operational Stage

Concrete Operational Stage Children develop the ability to think in concrete ways such as how to combine (addition), separate (subtract or divide), order (alphabetize and sort) and transform objects and actions. They are called concrete because they are performed in the presence of the objects and events being thought about. Formal Operational Stage Adolescence marks the beginning of more complex thinking process (also called formal logical operations) including abstract thinking (thinking about possibilities). The ability to reason from known principles, the ability to consider many point of views according to varying criteria and the ability to think about the thinking process.

Characteristics of Formal Operational Thought

Abstract Thinking

Formal operational thought is more abstract than concrete operational thought. The abstract quality of the adolescents thought is evident in the adolescents verbal problem solving ability.

E.g, while the concrete operational thinker would need to see the concrete elements A,B, and C to be able to make the logical inference that if A>B and B>C, then A>C, the formal operational thinker can solve this problem merely through verbal representation.

.Contd

An adolescent commented, I began thinking about why I was thinking what I was. Then I began thinking that about why I was thinking about what I was. This sounds abstract and it characterizes the adolescents enhanced focus on thought and its abstract qualities.

Idealism

Formal operational thought is full of idealism and possibilities. Adolescents begin to engage in extended speculation about ideal characteristicsqualities they desire in themselves and others. Thoughts are often fantasy flights into future possibilities. Adolescents at times become impatient with these newfound ideal standards and perplexed over which ideals to adopt.

Hypothetical-Deductive Reasoning

Adolescents begin to reason as a scientist does to solve problems and test solutions systematically. They are able to develop hypothesis, or best guesses, about how to solve problems such as algebraic expressions. They systematically deduces or concludes the best path to follow in solving a problem.

Some developmentalists believe that formal operational thought consists of two subperiods(Broughton,1983):

Early Formal Operational Thought: Adolescents newfound ability to think in hypothetical ways produces unconstrained thoughts with unlimited possibilities. In this, early period, flights of fantasy may submerge reality and the world is perceived too subjectively and idealistically. Assimilation is the dominant process in this substage. Late Formal Operational Thought: As adolescents test their reasoning against experience, intellectual balance is restored. Through accommodation, adolescents begin to adjust to the upheaval they have experienced. Late formal thought emerges in the middle adolescent years.

What Causes Formal Operational Thought

According to Piaget Formal Operational Thought is caused by brain maturation and expanding environmental opportunities. Stimulation is necessary.

Culture and schooling plays a role.

Not all Adolescents reach formal operation stage

Piaget believed that formal operation thought is the best description of how adolescents think. Formal operational thought is not a homogenous stage of development. Piagets theory doesnt adequately account for the individual differences that characterize the cognitive development of adolescents. According to Strahan, 1983, only 1 out of 3 eighth-graders is a formal operational thinker. There are many young adolescents who are beginning to think in a formal operational manner, others are at the point of consolidating their concrete operational thought, using it more consistently than they did in their childhood. A 14-year old adolescent might be at the formal operational stage while doing algebraic expressions but not so with verbal problem solving or when reasoning about interpersonal relations.

Contd

This implies that adolescents are more likely to use formal operational thought in areas in which adolescents have experience and knowledge. Adolescents gradually build up elaborate knowledge through extensive experience and practice in various sports, games, hobbies, and school subjects. The development of expertise in different domains may make possible high level, developmentally mature-looking thought. However, in some instances the sophisticated reasoning of formal operation may be responsible.

Information Processing View

Information Processing

Information Processing includes how information gets into adolescents' minds, how it is stored and how adolescents retrieve information to think about and solve problems. Capacity and Speed of Processing are termed as the Cognitive resources. Cognitive resources have an important influence on memory and problem solving. Both biology and experience contribute to growth in cognitive resources.

Contd

Adolescents typically have better attentional skills than children do. Higher order cognitive functioning such as making decisions, reasoning, thinking critically, thinking creatively, metacognition becomes increasingly strong during adolescence.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is thinking reflectively and productively and evaluating evidence. Adolescence is an important transitional period in the development of critical thinking. Cognitive changes that allow improved critical thinking are:

Increased speed, automaticity, and capacity of information processing. Greater breadth of content knowledge in a variety of domains. Increased ability to construct new combinations of knowledge A greater and spontaneous use of strategies

Although adolescence is an important period in the development of critical thinking skills, if an individual has not developed a solid basis of fundamental skills (such as literacy and math skill) in childhood, critical thinking skills are unlikely to mature during adolescence.

Impact of Cognitive Development on Adolescents

As a result of their growing cognitive abilities, most developing adolescents will: Become more independent. Take on increased responsibilities, such as babysitting, summer jobs, or household chores. Shift their school focus from play-centered activities to academics. Begin to consider future careers and occupations. Look to peers and media for information and advice. Begin to develop a social conscience: becoming concerned about social issues such as racism, global warming and poverty. Develop a sense of values and ethical behavior: recognizing the value of traits such as honesty, helpfulness, caring for others. Develop a realistic self-image. This is dependent on effective cognitive development. Seeing oneself as one really is a very abstract process. The early adolescent, therefore, has a hard time picturing a self-image, and the middle adolescent spends this period looking for different ways to be an adult. Finally, by late adolescence, a realistic self-image is possible to obtain, and the job then is to learn how to use the hand theyve been dealt effectively.

As adolescents begin to exercise their new reasoning skills, some of their behaviors may be confusing for adults. It is normal for them to: Argue for the sake of arguing. Jump to conclusions. Be self-centered. Constantly find fault in the adult's position. Be overly dramatic.

Social Cognitions Involvement in Adolescent Development

Social Cognition refers to how people conceptualize and reason about their social world, including the relation of self to others. Elkind proposed that adolescents, especially young adolescents, develop an egocentrism that consists of an imaginary audience and a personal fable. Adolescent egocentrism is the heightened selfconsciousness which is reflected in the belief that others are interested in them as they are themselves.

Adolescent Egocentrism
This can be dissected into two types of thinking: Imaginary Audience: E.g. An adolescent girl walks into the room and thinks that all eyes are riveted on her complexion. The adolescents believe that they are onstage where they are the main actors and others are the audience. Personal Fable: This involves adolescents uniqueness and invincibility. Adolescents sense of personal uniqueness makes them feel that no one can understand how they really feel. Adolescents often show a sense of invincibility- feeling that others might be vulnerable to tragedies but these things might not happen to them.

Some developmentalists believe that the sense of uniqueness and invincibility is responsible for some of the seemingly reckless behavior of adolescents including, drug use, suicide etc.

Perspective taking

Ability to assume another persons perspective and understand his or her thoughts and feelings. Perspective taking increases adolescents selfunderstanding and also improve their peer group relations and quality of friendships. The relation between self and the other person is complex Most developmental theorists believe that developmental changes in self-other relationship are characterized by movement from egocentrism to perspectivism.

Cognitive Development Needs Nurturing

Importance of Nurturing Cognitive Development

The development in thinking that happens during adolescence needs nurturing in order for it to grow. If a child is not exposed to abstract concepts and ideas at home and in school, then this ability atrophies, and the teenager may grow up to be an adult who is a concrete thinker is most aspects of life. If formal thought is nurtured, then the adolescent has a better chance of becoming an adult who can make intelligent decisions about life in a complex, modern society. An adult body, a childs mind For many adolescents, puberty is finished as early as 13 or 14 years of age. With cognitive development really just getting off the ground at about that time, there can be considerable conflict between the adult body and the childs mind. For example, a teenager who is still a concrete thinker can get into trouble if he cant understand the future consequences of current behavior. It may be difficult for that teenager to personalize lessons presented to him in general terms. He may struggle with a concept if it is not described using concrete examples, or using role-playing to help him identify personally with the concept.

Suggestions to encourage positive and healthy development in adolescents

The following suggestions will help to encourage positive and healthy cognitive development in the adolescent: Include adolescents in discussions about a variety of topics, issues, and current events. Encourage adolescents to share ideas and thoughts with you. Encourage adolescents to think independently and develop their own ideas. Assist adolescents in setting their own goals. Stimulate adolescents to think about possibilities of the future. Compliment and praise adolescents for well thought out decisions. Assist adolescents in re-evaluating poorly made decisions for themselves. Enhance Critical Thinking Skills in Adolescents (By using more assignments that require students to focus on an issue, a question or an problem, rather than just reciting facts, teachers stimulate students ability to think critically.)

Lets Revise

Question: Jean Piaget was a: a. Child Psychologist b. Developmental Psychologist c. Biologist d. Genetic Epistemologist Question: Piaget assumed that children are __________ in constructing understanding of the world. a. Passive b. Active c. Neutral d. Bystanders

Question: Jane has learned to feed herself with a spoon. When her mother gives her a fork, she immediately begins to feed herself. Jane has __________ the fork into her schema for utensils. a. Accomodated b. Appropriated c. Assimilated d. Initiated Question: Jane's mother has two crackers, both of equal size. She breaks one of the crackers up into four pieces. Jane says she wants the one with the most and immediately chooses the four pieces, even though the two amounts are equal. Jane's choice illustrates Piaget's concept of: a. Accomodation b. Egocentrism c. False Belief d. Conservation

Question: According to Piaget, children in the concrete operational stage have difficulty with: a. Perspective-taking b. Deductive logic c. Inductive logic d. Conservation Question: A schema is a: a. Category of knowledge that allows us to interpret and understand the world. b. Process of taking in new information. c. Process of balancing old knowledge and new information. d. None of the above

Question: The ability to think abstractly and systematically solve problems emerges during the: a. Concrete Operational Stage b. Sensorimotor Stage c. Formal Operational Stage d. Preoperational Stage Question: Piaget believed that children in the preoperational stage have difficulty taking the perspective of another person. This is known as: a. Reversibility b. Egocentrism c. Metacognition d. Constructivism

When Tommy's father hides a ball behind his back, Tommy quickly loses interest in the ball. This suggests that Tommy has not developed a sense of: A. basic trust. B. attachment. C. object permanence. D. curiosity. E. egocentrism.

Question: Piaget's stages are criticized by some due to: a. His theory was based on an unrepresentative sample of children. b. Not all people reach the formal operational stage or use formal operational thought consistently. c. His theory underestimates children's abilities. d. All of the above.