PSYC 2314 Lifespan Development Chapter 18 Early Adulthood: Cognitive Development

Adult Thinking 3 Approaches Postformal: possible emergence of a new stage of thinking and reasoning in adulthood that builds on the skills of formal operational thinking. Psychometric: analyzes components of intelligence such as those measured by IQ tests, specifically describing which components improve or decline during adulthood. All three approaches provide valuable insights into cognitive development across adulthood, from 20 to 100. However, we’ll focus on postformal approach in this Chapter. Chapter 21, psychometric and Chapter 24, psychometric.

Postformal Thought Subjective Experience Cognitive Flexibilities Subjective thought arises from the personal experiences and perceptions of an individual. Objective thought follows abstract, impersonal logic. Objective thinking is a much-needed corrective to subjective thinking that is prejudiced, narrow, and highly emotional. In everyday life, this objective thinking may be adaptive for the schoolchild, the adolescent, and the “novice adult,” because it permits them to “categorize experience in a stable and reliable way. However, purely objective, logical thinking becomes maladaptive in trying to understand and deal with, the complexities and commitments of the adult world. Cognitive Flexibilities: an additional dimension of postformal thought is understanding that each person’s perspective is only one of many potentially valid views and that knowledge is not necessarily absolute or fixed. A contextual awareness emerges that helps us recognize that life entails inconsistencies, including the inconsistencies between intellectual analysis and emotional realities. Story: John is known to be heavy drinker, esp. when he goes to parties. Mary, John’s wife, warns him that if he comes home drunk one more time, she will leave him and take the children. Tonight John is out late at an office party. John comes home drunk—does Mary leave John? In arriving at their answers, all the young adolescents and many of the older ones reasoned strictly according to the basic premise of the story: yes, Mary would leave John bcs that is what she said she would do. Older respondents consider the real-life possibilities and contextual circumstances: was Mary’s warning a plea instead of a final ultimatum, what is the history of the relationship, is John apologetic or abusive.

Postformal Thought The difference between the reasoning maturity of adolescents and that of young adults is particularly apparent when the problems to be solved are emotionally charged. Older adults regulate their emotions better than younger ones and are less cognitively and physiologically overwhelmed by deep and complex emotions.

Postformal Thought Dialectical Thought: characterized by ongoing awareness of the pros and cons, advantages and disadvantages, and possibilities and limitations. Synthesis of ideas Synthesis: integrates both the original idea (thesis) and its opposite (antithesis). In daily life, dialectical thinking involves the constant integration of one’s beliefs and experiences with all the contradictions and inconsistencies that one encounters. The result is a continuously evolving view of oneself and the world, a view that recognizes that few, if any, of life’s most important questions have single, unchangeable, correct answers. This type of thinking is more typical of middle-aged than of younger or older adults and is more evident in certain contexts than in others.

Postformal Thought Critic: characteristics of postformal thought are not universal and do not necessarily build on the prior accomplishments of formal operations.

Adult Moral Reasoning Carol Gilligan’s view Males tend to be concerned with the question of rights and justice, whereas females tend to put human needs above justice principles. People’s life experiences expand, particularly as they become committed to, and responsible for, the needs of others, they often shift from ideological or personal moral reasoning to moral reasoning based on principles that are relative, changeable, and forged from a synthesis of ethical principles with life experiences.

Development of Faith Intuitive-Projective Faith Mythic-Literal Faith Synthetic-Conventional Faith Individual-Reflective Faith Conjunctive Faith Universalizing Faith Magical, illogical, imaginative, and filled w/ fantasy, esp. about the power of God and the mysteries of birth and death. Ages 3-7. Reciprocity: God sees to it that those who follow His laws are rewarded and that those who do not are punished. A nonintellectual, tacit acceptance of cultural or religious values in the context of interpersonal relationships. Conformist stage of faith, which is conventional, reflects concern about other people, and values “what feels right” over what makes intellectual sense. Faith is characterized by intellectual detachment from the values of the culture and from the approval of significant other people. Incorporates both powerful unconscious ideas (such as the power of prayer and the love of God) and rational, conscious values (such as the worth of life compared with that of property) and is characterized by a willingness to accept contradictions. Have a powerful vision of universal compassion, justice, and love that compels them to live their lives in a way that, to most other people, seems either saintly or foolish. They put their own personal welfare aside, and sometimes even sacrifice their lives, in an effort to enunciate universal values. Gandhi, MLK Jr, and Mother Teresa. Faith, apparently, is one way people combat stress, overcome adversity, and analyze challenges. Faith is not static but changes as life does, with values shifting as experience accumulates.

Defining Issue Test A series of questions developed by James Rest and designed to assess respondents’ level of moral development by having them rank possible solutions to moral dilemmas. Example: a reporter who must decide whether or not to publish some old personal info that will damage a political candidate. Instead of simply considering an open-ended question, respondents must rank possible answers, from personal benefits (credit for investigative reporting) to higher goals (what would best serve society). Scores on DIT with age and with each year of college education, as people become less doctrinaire and more flexible in their attitudes on moral issues.

Cognitive Growth and Higher Education Effects of College Enhances the flexibility and resourcefulness of reasoning abilities More tolerant of differing views Be more flexible and realistic in their attitudes College education not only improves student’s verbal and quantitative skills…

College Student of Today Less concerned about developing a meaningful life philosophy and more concerned about finding a good job. Include more women, low-income, ethnic-minority, older, part-time and career-focused. Work during college years.

Cheating Academic (cultural) System Students’ Value System Cheating is an attack on education Students’ Value System Encourage cooperation (helping a friend) Purpose of school is to get good grades, not to learn

Cognitive Growth and Life Events Many life events, specific notable occurrences, can trigger new patterns of thinking and thus further cognitive development Parenting Intimate relationship Job promotion or dismissal Loss of a loved one

Adult Thinking Information-Processing: studies the encoding, storage, and retrieval of information throughout life, considering whether the efficiency of these processes changes as the individual grows older.