Transcript Chapter 15
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 Adolescence: Cognitive Development Truth or Fiction? 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. Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Adolescence: Cognitive Development Truth or Fiction? The transition from elementary school is more difficult for boys than girls. Adolescents who work after school obtain lower grades. 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 What Is Meant by the Stage of Formal Operations? • 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 Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Lessons in Observation: Piaget’s Formal Operational Stage • 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 hypotheticodeductive reasoning to arrive at conclusions regarding the “no thumbs” question? Cite specific characteristics of their response that support your answer. 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 Lessons in Observation: Piaget’s Formal Operational Stage • 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. Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 What Is Meant by the Stage of Formal Operations? • Hypothetical thinking – Can project beyond immediate experience • Wrapped up in lengthy fantasies • Sophisticated use of symbols • Understand, create and use metaphors • Utopian thinking 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 Reevaluation of Piaget’s Theory • 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 Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 How Is Adolescent Egocentrism Shown in the Imaginary Audience and in the Personal Fable? • 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 Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 What Are the Sex Differences in Cognitive Abilities? • 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 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 What Are the Sex Differences in Cognitive Abilities? • 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 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 What Are Kohlberg’s Views on Moral Reasoning in Adolescence? • 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 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 Is There a Relationship Between Moral Cognitive Development and Moral Behavior? • 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 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 How Do Adolescents Make the Transition from Elementary School to Middle, Junior High, or High School? • 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 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 What Are the Consequences of Dropping Out of School? Why Do Adolescents Drop Out of School? • 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 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 How Do Adolescents Make Career Choices? • Career aspirations become more realistic as child matures • Influences on career choice – Abilities and personality traits – Life experiences, parental expectations and economic factors 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 Holland’s Career Typology • Match personality and careers to predict adjustment • Six personality types – Realistic – Artistic – Enterprising - Investigative - Socially oriented - Conventional • May combine more than one personality type Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 Does Gender Affect Career Choice? • 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 Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development, Second Edition, Spencer A. Rathus Chapter 15 How Many American Adolescents Hold Jobs? • 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