Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Adolescence: Cognitive Development

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Adolescence: Cognitive Development Truth or Fiction? Many adolescents see themselves as being on stage. It is normal for male adolescents to think of themselves as action heroes and act as if they’re made of steel.

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Adolescent boys outperform adolescent girls in mathematics. Most adolescents make moral decisions based on their own ethical principles and may choose to disobey the laws of the land if they conflict with their principles. Adolescence: Cognitive Development Truth or Fiction?

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 The transition from elementary school is more difficult for boys than girls. Adolescents who work after school obtain lower grades. Adolescence: Cognitive Development Truth or Fiction?

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 The Adolescent in Thought My, My, How “Formal”

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Highest level of Piaget’s theory Major achievements –Classification –Logical thought and deductive reasoning –Ability to hypothesize Can think about abstract ideas Hypothetical thinking –Can project beyond immediate experience –Involved in lengthy fantasies and ‘what if’ scenarios What Is Meant by the Stage of Formal Operations?

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Compare the responses of Julor, Jenny, and Alan to the hypothetical question, “What if people had no thumbs?” –Which of these children has reached Piaget’s formal operational stage of cognitive development? On what basis did you make this decision? What is hypothetico-deductive reasoning? –Do any of the children in the video use hypothetico- deductive reasoning to arrive at conclusions regarding the “no thumbs” question? Cite specific characteristics of their response that support your answer. Lessons in Observation: Piaget’s Formal Operational Stage

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Lessons in Observation: Piaget’s Formal Operational Stage

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Describe the responses of the adolescents in the video to questions regarding drinking and driving and unprotected sex. How do they explain these risk-taking behaviors? –Discuss their responses in terms of Piaget’s personal fable concept. Lessons in Observation: Piaget’s Formal Operational Stage

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Hypothetical thinking –Can project beyond immediate experience Wrapped up in lengthy fantasies Sophisticated use of symbols Understand, create and use metaphors Utopian thinking What Is Meant by the Stage of Formal Operations?

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 A Closer Look The Puzzle and the Pendulum

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Figure 15.1 The Pendulum Problem

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Formal operational thought is not universal –Abstract thinking is more prevalent in technological societies May occur later than Piaget suggests, or not at all Do not apply formal operational thought with unfamiliar tasks Reevaluation of Piaget’s Theory

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Imaginary Audience –Belief that others are concerned with our appearance and behaviors –May account for desire for privacy –Explains preoccupation with appearance Personal Fable –Our feelings and ideas are special –Invulnerability Encourages risk-taking behaviors How Is Adolescent Egocentrism Shown in the Imaginary Audience and in the Personal Fable?

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Females excel in verbal ability –Girls acquire language earlier –Boys more likely to have reading problems Boys excel in visual-spatial ability –Visualize objects and mentally manipulate them –Difference is greatest on mental rotation tasks Origins of the sex differences –Biological –Cultural –Evolutionary –Environmental What Are the Sex Differences in Cognitive Abilities?

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Figure 15.2 Examples of Tests Used to Measure Visual-Spatial Ability

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Boys tend to outperform girls in math –Boys excel in geometry and word problems –Girls show superiority in computational skills Sex differences are represented by group differences Sex differences represent cultural expectations What Are the Sex Differences in Cognitive Abilities?

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 The Adolescent in Judgment Moral Development

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Postconventional Level –Based on person’s own moral standards –Stage 5 Contractual-legalistic orientation Laws are agreed upon, but rights should not be violated –Stage 6 Universal ethical principles Reciprocity What Are Kohlberg’s Views on Moral Reasoning in Adolescence?

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Developing in a World of Diversity Cross-Cultural and Sex Differences in Moral Development

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Figure 15.4 Age and Type of Moral Judgment

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Positive relationship between moral development and behavior Evaluation of Kohlberg’s theory –Research supports development in sequence –Do not appear to skip stages –Universal, innate sequence Underestimated social, cultural and education institutions –Universal principles may not be universal Is There a Relationship Between Moral Cognitive Development and Moral Behavior?

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 The Adolescent in School

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Often move from smaller neighborhood school to larger impersonal setting In transition, adolescents –Move from “top dog” to “bottom dog” –Often experience decline in grades, participation in activities –Drop in self-esteem Transition tends to be more difficult for girls How Do Adolescents Make the Transition from Elementary School to Middle, Junior High, or High School?

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 A Closer Look Beyond the Classroom: How Parents Can Help Teenagers Improve Their Academic Performance

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 High school drop outs –Tend to be unemployed and make lower salaries –Show problem behaviors, including substance abuse Who Drops Out –Children from lower income families have higher drop out rates –Predictors of school drop out Excessive school absence Reading below grade level What Are the Consequences of Dropping Out of School? Why Do Adolescents Drop Out of School?

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 The Adolescent at Work Career Development and Work Experience

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Career aspirations become more realistic as child matures Influences on career choice –Abilities and personality traits –Life experiences, parental expectations and economic factors How Do Adolescents Make Career Choices?

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Figure 15.5 Assessing an Adolescent’s Career Type by Attending a “Job Fair”

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Match personality and careers to predict adjustment Six personality types –Realistic - Investigative –Artistic - Socially oriented –Enterprising - Conventional May combine more than one personality type Holland’s Career Typology

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Tend to follow gender stereotypes –Most K-12 teachers and nurses are women –Most truck drivers and upper-level managers are men Boys more likely to engage in occupational gender-typing Girls who select non-traditional careers –Higher on self-efficacy expectations –More often intellectually gifted Does Gender Affect Career Choice?

Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 More than 50% high school students work part-time Boys tend to work more hours Benefits of adolescent employment –Develop sense of responsibility, self-reliance, discipline –Acquire positive work habits and values –Enhance occupational aspirations Students who work long hours –Report lower grades, higher rates of drug and alcohol use –More delinquent behavior, lower self-esteem –Spend less time in family activities How Many American Adolescents Hold Jobs?