Cognition in Adolescence

Analytic thinking: Analytic thought depends on logic and rationality.

Formal operations: The fourth and final stage in Piagets cognition theory
of development, characterized by more systematic logical thinking and by
the ability to understand and systematically manipulate abstract concepts.
Imaginary audience: A belief of eccentric adolescents that makes them
self conscious due to the fact that they think that people are watching their
every every step and taking notes of their action.
Egocentrism: A characteristic of adolescent thinking that leads young
people (10-13) to focus on themselves with the exclusion of others.
Hypothetical thought: Reasoning that includes propositions and
possibilities that may not reflect reality. I.E the if all mammals can walk
and whales are mammals, can whales walk?
Inductive reasoning: Reasoning from one or more specific experiences or
facts to reach a general conclusion. (bottom up reasoning).
Deductive reasoning: Reasoning from a general statement through logical
steps to figure out specifics. (Top down reasoning)
Personal fable: An adolescents belief that his or her thoughts, feelings, or
experiences are unique, more wonderful or awful than anyone elses.

Invincibility fable: An adolescents egocentric conviction that he or she cannot be

overcome or even harmed by anything that might defeat a normal mortal, such as
unprotected sex, drug abuse, or high-speed driving.

Biosocial development in Adolescence

Can changes in adolescent thought and behavior can be attributed
to solely hormones? (lecture)
No direct effects of hormones on behaviors and emotion are small. But the
hormones that do affect behavior and emotion are cortisol, oxytocin, growth
hormones.
Hormonal changes at puberty
Testosterone increases 20x childhood levels (boys)
Estradiol increases 8x childhood levels (girls)

Neurons that trigger the production of serotonin have estrogen receptors altering the
balance in a complex system behavioral and emotional changes are likely to emerge.

Brain Maturation(Hypothalamus) causes changes in hormonal levels not the other way
around!!!

Puberty begins with a hormonal signal from the hypothalamus to the pituitary grand.
The pituitary, in turn, signals the adrenal glands and ovaries or testes to produce more of
their hormones.

Kegans Constructive Developmental Theory

(lecture) (Construct meaning about the world around us)
According to Kegan, what two things do people need to successfully move between stages of
development?

Challenge and support

In Kegans theory what does Subject mean? What does Object mean?

Therearethoseaspectsofexperiencewhichwecanperceive,take
responsibilityforandproblemsolvearound.asobject.For
example,asmallchildmaybeawareofthebrightnessofthesun,
thescratchinessofhisclothes,andthepullofhismothershand.
therearealsoaspectsofexperiencewhichwearenotawareof,
whichwecannottakeresponsibilityforandcanthereforenot
problemsolvearound.subjectto.Forexample,whenthechildis
angry,hisexpressionofangeristransparent;whenheexperiences
joy,hesmiles.Hehasnoemotionalfilters.Heisdevelopmentally
incapableofseeingemotionsasobjectandisthereforesubjectto
them.

Identity development in Adolescence

& Emerging Adulthood

Foreclosed identity: Premature identity formation, which occurs when an

adolescent adopts parents or societys roles and values, without
questioning or analysis.
Eriksons stage: (Fidelity/repudiation) uncertain and negative
about values, lifestyle, friendships Identity vs role confusing Eriksons
5th stage of development, in which the person tries to figure out who am I?
but is confused as to which of the many possible roles to adopt.
Gender identity: A persons acceptance of the roles and behaviors that
society associates with the biological categories of male and female.
Ethnic identity: self categorization in, and psychological attachment toward an ethnic group(s).
Characterized as part of one's overarching self concept.

Sexual identity: life long task, because standards keep changing. how one
thinks of oneself in terms of whom they are sexually or romantically

Vocational identity: Originally meant envisioning oneself as a worker in a

particular occupation. Not relevant anymore
Identity diffusion: A situation in which an adolescent does not seem to
know or care what his or her identity is.
Moratorium: An adolescents choice of a socially acceptable way to
postpone making identity-achievement decisions. I.E going to college.

Empathy in Adolescence (lecture):

Which type of empathy do typically developing adolescents have
MORE of?

Adolescents may have HEIGHTENED affective empathy (feelings triggered by

another persons emotion).

What is cognitive empathy?

cognitive empathy (understanding another persons feelings AND coping with

their own emotional reaction).

What is affective empathy?

Affective empathy (feelings triggered by another persons emotion).

What is the strongest predictor of bullying in both males & females?

Male or female adolescents with high impulsivity (react to their own

emotional response to external situations with less cognitive input) are more
likely to bully.

Cognition in emerging adulthood

Post-formal thought: A thought process that goes beyond adolescent
thinking by being more practical, more practical, more flexible and more
dialectical; that is more capable of combining contradictory elements into a
comprehensive whole).
Dialectical thought: The most advanced cognitive process, characterized
by the ability to consider a thesis and its antithesis simultaneously and thus
to arrive at a synthesis.
The Defining Issues Test (DIT): Another way to measure moral thinking

Social-emotional development in
emerging adulthood
Ways couples fight:

situational couple violence- Fighting between romantic partners that is brought on

more by the situation than by the deep personality problems of the individuals. Both
partners are typically victims and abusers.
intimate terrorism -A violent and demeaning form of abuse in a romantic relationship, in
which the victim (usually female) is frightened to fight back, seek help, or withdraw. In
this case, the victim is in danger of physical as well as psychological harm.

Ethnic identity:

It is reciprocal, both personal choice and a response to others.

It depends on context, so it changes with time and circumstances
It is multifaceted; emerging adults accept some aspects and reject others

Differences in male/female friendships: Guys are more likely to discuss

external matters such as their interest in sports, work or politics. They are
less likely to talk about their emotions relationship dilemmas. If they do, they
expect practical advice and not sympathy. Girls are more wired with
emotional connection. They discuss their weaknesses and engage in self
disclosed talk. They also receive an attentive and sympathetic ear.
Eriksons stage of development: (love/exclusivity)- anxious about
close relationships, jealous, lonely. Intimacy Vs Isolation; sixth of eight
stages of development. Adults seek someone with whom to share their lives
in an enduring and self-sacrificing commitment. Without such commitment,
they risk profound aloneness and isolation.
Intimacy progresses from attraction to close connection to ongoing commitment.

Sternbergs forms of love:

Liking: intimacy
Infatuation: passion
Empty love: commitment
Romantic love: passion and intimacy
Fatuous love: passion and commitment
Compassionate love: commitment and intimacy
Consummate love: Intimacy, passion and commitment
Types of marriage:
Homogamy: defined by developmentalists as marriage between individuals who tend to be
similar with respect to such variables as attitudes, interests, goals religion etc
Heterogamy: marriages between individuals who tend to be dissimilar with respect to such
variables
Social homogamy: The similarity of a couples leisure interests and role preferences.