Chapter 15

COGNITIVEDEVELOPMENT

IN ADOLESCENCE

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• Formal Operations• Abstract thinking, logical inferences• Idealism and possibilities• Hypothetical-deductive reasoning

• Develop and test hypotheses; deduce best ways to solve problems

• Evaluating Piaget’s theory• There are challenges and controversy• Theory generated volumes of research

PIAGET’S THEORY

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• Heightened self-consciousness• Two types of social thinking

• Imaginary audience• Believe others are as interested in them as they are in

themselves

• Personal fable• Sense of personal uniqueness and invulnerability

ADOLESCENT EGOCENTRICISM

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• Abilities improves in adolescence• Areas of improvement

• Memory (short-term, working, and long-term)• Decision making (more complex, options)

• Social context plays a key role• Emotional state at the time has impact

• Critical thinking• Thinking reflectively and productively, and evaluating

evidence

INFORMATION PROCESSING

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• Beliefs and attitudes about the way things should be• Attached to important things• Reflect intrepersonal dimension of morality• Changing values: more concern for own well-being than

service to others• Self-fulfillment• Self-expression

• Damon: youth lack clear sense of direction

VALUES

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• Service learning• Form of education promoting social responsibility and

service to community/others• Adolescent volunteers

• Tend to be extraverted• Have high level of self-understanding• Committed to others• Girls volunteer more than boys

• Benefits adolescents in many ways

VALUES

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• Positive effects of service learning• Better grades, more motivation and goals • Deeper appreciation of ‘right’ behaviors• Self-esteem improves• Improved sense of making a difference• Become less alienated• More reflection on aspects of society

• Required by 265 of U.S. high schools

VALUES

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• Hotly debated in educational circles• Hidden curriculum

• Conveyed moral atmosphere in schools by:• School and classroom rules• Moral orientation of teachers, administrators• Text materials

• Character education (used in 40 of 50 states)• Implement explicit moral code defining sanctions for violations

MORAL EDUCATION

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• Values clarification• Encouraged to define own values, understand values of

others• Different from character education: does not tell

student what values should be

• Cognitive moral education• Democracy and justice valued as moral reasoning

develops• Instructor is ‘facilitator,’ not director of class

MORAL EDUCATION

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• Gilligan’s view: Emphasize caring, sensitivity to others’ feelings, relationships

• Cheating• Takes many forms in academia; of great concern• Many students cheat; why do they do it?

• Pressure for higher grades, time pressures• Poor teaching, lack of interest

• Cheating depends on ‘power of the situation’

MORAL EDUCATION

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• Integrative approach• Reflective moral thinking• Commitment to justice• Child Development Project

• Many opportunities in perspective taking• Self-reflection on fairness, social responsibility• Adults coach ethical decision making• Caring community extended beyond classroom

MORAL EDUCATION

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• Issues important to adolescents• Belief in God or universal spirit, and prayer• Learn religious faith• Recently, religiosity declined in ages 14 to 20

• Positive role in adolescent lives• Meaningful part of life; way to cope• Better grades in school, social competence• Impacts on health; regulates behaviors

RELIGION

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• Developmental changes• Cognitive

• More analysis of religion and concepts• Questioning and better logical reasoning• Erikson: stronger search for identity

• Religious beliefs and parenting• Created to socialize children, most adopt religion raised

in; affected by quality of parent-adolescent relationship

RELIGION

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• Religion and sexuality in adolescence• Aspects of religiousness related to:

• Selecting friends with restrictive attitudes• Fewer sexual partners, relationships• Perception of unprotected sex as high risk• Responsible contraceptive use

RELIGION

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• Most often grades 6 through 8• Watered-down versions of high school?• Mimics high school curriculum?• Critics argue there are unique differences

• Extracurricular activities reflect individual differences (biological, psychological)

• High schools foster passivity, not autonomy• Schools should create variety of pathways for students to

achieve identity

THE AMERICAN MIDDLE SCHOOL

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• Transition of middle or junior high school• Simultaneous changes

• In student, family, and in school• Puberty and body image concerns• Cognition change; formal operations• Social cognition: responsibility, autonomy• Small, homogeneous classroom changes into impersonal, large

heterogeneous one

THE AMERICAN MIDDLE SCHOOL

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• Transition of middle or junior high school• Simultaneous changes

• More stress on achievement, performance assessment • Top dog phenomenon

• Moves from top position to lowest position in student hierarchy• Being youngest, smallest has more risks

THE AMERICAN MIDDLE SCHOOL

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• Effective Middle Schools• Develop smaller schools

• Lower student-to-counselor ratios

• Involve parents and community leaders

• Develop effective curricula in literacy, sciences, health, ethics, and citizenship

• Team teaching in integrated/flexible curriculum

• More health and fitness programs

THE AMERICAN MIDDLE SCHOOL

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• Extracurricular activities• Involvement associated with:

• Better academic adjustment• Superior psychological competencies• Positive peer relations• Countering negative expenses

• Quality matters• Highest quality promotes best positive outcomes

THE AMERICAN MIDDLE SCHOOL

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• Many graduates poorly prepared for college and modern workplace• Many companies have set basic skill standards

• Ability to read at relatively high level• Minimum of elementary algebra• Minimum use of personal computers for word processing• Solve semi-structured problems where hypothesis is formed

and tested

THE AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL

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• Many graduates poorly prepared for college and modern workplace• Many companies have set basic skill standards

• Communicate effectively (orally and in writing)• Work effectively in diverse groups

• Schools should focus on psychological factors involved in motivation• Replace low expectations, alienation

THE AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL

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• Serious educational, societal problem• Dropout numbers have been declining

• Highest rate is Native American, high rate for concern in Latinos

• Male rate higher than that of females• Largest gender gap in Latinos and African Americans

HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS

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• Causes• Most dislike school, suspended, expelled• Economic reasons (help support families)• Many girls have personal reasons such as pregnancy or

marriage• Linked to having ‘dropout’ friends

• Parental involvement in school during early years lessens dropout risk

HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS

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• Reducing the Dropout Rate• Gates Foundation give funds for programs• Provide effective programs in:

• Early reading and tutoring• Counseling and mentoring

• Create caring environment• Offer community service opportunities

HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS

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• Less idealistic, more realistic about career• Explore careers in high school• Establish career in college, improve and climb ladder of

success as adult after college• Some jobs unsuitable for personality

• Holland’s types• Not that clear-cut in real-life individuals• Incorporates Strong-Campbell Vocational Interest

Inventory

VIEWS OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT

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Personality Career

Realistic “masculine” traits; construction, labor, truck driving, or farming

Intellectual “thinkers”; math and science careers

Social “feminine” traits; teaching, social work, or counseling

Conventional Structure; bank teller, clerk, secretary

Enterprising “verbal” and dominating; politics, sales, or management

Artistic “expressive”; art and writing

HOLLAND’S PERSONALITY-TYPE THEORY

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• Important roles in adolescents’ choices• Approached with ambiguity, uncertainty, and stress

• Many adolescents• Receive little direction from school guidance

counselors• Do not know what information to seek and how to seek

it

EXPLORATION, DECISION MAKING, AND PLANNING

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• Not all persons are able to enter ‘desired’ careers • Genetic limitations• Parents and peers• School influences• Socioeconomic status• Ethnicity• Gender

SOCIOCULTURAL INFLUENCES