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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