Cognitive Development in Adolescence

Cognitive Development in Adolescence Adolescent vs. Middle Childhood Thought   Reasoning hypothetically - requires generating & mentally testing hypotheses Thinking about thinking    Metacognition Planning ahead Thinking beyond conventional limits Formal Operations  Think systematically  Identity development  Can apply FO thinking to variety of life problems 1 Limitations of Piaget’s Theory  Formal operations has been the most critiqued  Limitations:   Individual differences in the attainment of formal operations Cultural basis of adolescent cognitive development Limitations - Individual Differences     Great range in extent to which people use formal operations Many adults use formal operations- inconsistently or not at all FOT seen most in adolescents who have had courses in math and science Concrete operations are sufficient for most daily tasks and problems Limitations – Cultural Basis    FO has universal potential Form it takes in each culture varies due to cognition requirements people face Great variation in the extent to which adol & adults display FO thought 2 Adolescent Egocentrism  Egocentrism  Imaginary Audience  Personal Fable Thinking about Moral Issues       What is right? What is wrong? What principles should I based my behavior on and use to judge the behavior of others? How do I balance my responsibilities to others against my own personal rights? What does it mean to be a moral person in a world where immoral behavior is so prevalent? Why is our society is organized as it is? What might be done to improve society and myself? Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Dev Three levels, each consisting of 2 stages Level/Stage LEVEL II Conventional STAGE 4 Law-and-order morality (begins to appear during adolescence) What Is Right Fulfilling agreed-upon duties Upholding laws except in extreme cases when in conflict with other duties Contributing to society or group Why Do Right Social Perspective Keep the institution going as a whole Perspective of an individual in relation to the social group What would happen if everyone did it? Takes the point of view of the system that defines roles and rules The imperative of conscience to meet one’s defined obligations 3 Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Dev Level/Stage LEVEL III Postconventional STAGE 5 Social-contract reasoning (does not appear until early adulthood, and then only rarely) What Is Right Why Do Right Social Perspective Aware people Sense of Integrates agreehold a variety obligation to ment, formal of values law because contract, Upholding of one’s objective relative rules social impartiality, and because they contract due process are social Feeling Considers moral contracts contractual and legal points Non-relative commitment of view, values (e.g., Laws based on recognizing that life, liberty) “greatest these may upheld regardgood for conflict less of majority greatest opinion number” Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Dev Level/Stage LEVEL III Postconventional What Is Right Following selfchosen ethical principles because of STAGE 6 Universal ethical universal justice principles (an ideal, seen When laws only in extraviolate ordinary cases) principles, acting in accordance with the principle Why Do Right Social Perspective A belief in the validity of universal moral principles All social arrangements must derive from a moral point of view A sense of personal commitment to those principles Persons are ends in themselves and must be treated as such Heteronomous morality Instrumental morality Good-child morality Law-and-order morality Social-contract morality Mean percentage of moral reasoning of U.S. citizens at each of Kohlberg’s stages, by age group 4