CH 2 Cognitive transitions Flashcards
Compared to children, adolescents thinking is more sophisticated in their ability to:
(1) Think about possibilities.
(2) Think about abstract concepts.
(3) Think about thinking. (4) Think in multiple dimensions.
(5) See knowledge as relative
T: think about thinking
metacognition
T: seeing knowledge as relative
relativism
what are the ways children vs adolescences think about possibilities
children= concrete events adolescences= what might be
T: not just thinking about what is but what might have been
counterfactual thinking
Adolescents are able to move easily between the … and the … to generate alternative possibilities.
specific and the abstract
(Thinking About Possibilities) T: A type of logical reasoning in which you draw logically necessary conclusions from a general set of premises, or givens.
deductive reasoning
(Thinking About Possibilities)
T: “If-then” thinking
n Example: Playing devil’s advocate
hypothetical thinking
adolescences cant suspend current beleifs to think of other perspectives
f they can
what are some language skills adolescences begin to understand as a result of their Ability to comprehend higher-
order abstract logic 4
Puns, proverbs, metaphors, and analogies
Improvements in social cognition during adolescence is directly related to improvements in the ability to …
think abstractly.
understanding clever jokes is the result of what advancement to adolescences thinking
abstract concepts
an adolescent takes an interest in politics as the result of what advancement
abstract concepts
(thinking about thinking) adolescences Increased … allows them to think about their our own emotions.
introspection
(thinking about thinking) Increased ….: thinking that others are thinking about us.
self-consciousness
what are the 3 skills that come with metacognition
Monitoring one’s own cognitive activity during thinking
n Increased introspection: thinking about our own emotions.
n Increased self-consciousness: thinking that others are thinking about us.
problem with metacognition
preoccupy self with what others are thinking
does metacognition continue to improve in adulthood?
no levels off
problems with introspection
self absorption
what phenomena exemplifies adolescents egocentrism 2
imaginary audience phenomena
personal fable
what is the imaginary audience phenomena
Believe that everyone is watching
n Behavior is the focus of other’s concern
what is the personal fable
Experiences are unique
n Nothing bad can happen to them because they are special regardless of what happens to others
“you’d never understand how I feel” what phenomena
personal fable
problems with personal fable
risky behaviours (online sex behaviours- saw themselves as less vulnerable)
what arises from thinking in multiple dimensions
more sophisticated conception of self and relationships
encourages understanding of sarcasm, satire and metaphors
T: Ability to view things from more than one aspect at a time
thinking in multiple dimensions
More sophisticated understanding of probability- what thinking advancement
multiple dimensions
children see things in absolute terms, how does this change in adolescences
see things relative to other things
Compared to children, adolescents are more likely to ….and less likely to accept “facts” as absolute truths.
question others’ assertions
problems with relativism
promote skepticism so Difficulties can arise between youth and their parents.
see parents opinions as just their perspective that can be questioned
2 important theoretical perspectives on cognitive development in adolescents ?
Piaget view of adolescence thinking
and AI view (information processing perspective
what view of intellectual development does Piaget take
cognitive developmental
how does Piagets view development
cognitive development perceeds in a fixed step series of stages
child wanting to play make believe- what Piaget stage
preoperational
during what stage do kids learn the rules of conservation
concrete operational stage
when do they take on perspective taking
concrete operational stage
what stage can they transcend what is to image alternative possibilities
formal operational stage
what do Piaget theories believe defines kids from adolescents
Abstract logical reasoning is defining feature
….(similar to deductive reasoning)
provides logical framework to image range of possible situations and outcomes
Formal operational thought
just because adolescences have the capacity to thinking logically does that mean they always do?
no
what is the limitations of Piagets view
Skills may develop more gradually and continuously rather than stages
what is the limitations of Piagets view
logical errors (having capacity but not behaving that way) cant be explained by faulty cognitive development Skills may develop more gradually and continuously rather than stages
what is the limitations of Piagets view
logical errors (having capacity but not behaving that way) cant be explained by faulty cognitive development Skills may develop more gradually and continuously rather than stages
what are the 5 areas of improvement of the Information-Processing View
n Selective attention and divided attention n Working and long-term memory, autobiographical memories n Processing speed n Organization n Metacognition
how does the info processing model resemble a computer
its about imputes and outputs
T: being able to attend to multiple things at once
Selective attention and
divided attention
how is memory improved in adolescents
Working and long-term memory, autobiographical memories
why improved memory
increased Processing speed
T: we recall memories from our adolescence because of memory improvements most
reminiscent bump
the ability to plan how they are going to complete a task is attributed to improvements in
organization
info processing model mentions the anatomy of the brain in cognitive development- why
Brain maturation in adolescence may be linked to behavioral,
emotional, and cognitive development during this period.
Brain maturation in adolescence may be linked to behavioral,
emotional, and cognitive development during this period. what is the problem with this assertion
correlation is not causation.
adolescences brain effects their behaviour AND vice versa
t Adolescents’ behavior affects their brain development (e.g., the effects of alcohol and other drugs on the brain).
when do cognitive abilities stop developing
Research indicates that more sophisticated cognitive abilities are still developing after individuals are in their 20s.
are the cognitive abilities developed in adolescents more important than the improvements in ones 20s
more basic abilities are often well-developed in the teenage years so they hold more weight
to understand advances in cognitive development we must first understand …
how the brain works
The brain functions by transmitting ….across circuits that are composed of interconnected cells, called ….
electrical signals
neurons
3 parts of neutron
n Cell body n Axon
n Dendrites
everything we think about depend on flow of electrical impulses across …
brain circuits
neurons don’t actually touch each other
t communicate through NT
T: A tiny gap between the tip of one neuron’s axon and another neuron’s
dendrite.
synapse
T: Specialized chemicals that carry electrical impulses between neurons.
neurotransmitters
neurons and the projections that connect them :T
grey matter
oon after birth, unused and unnecessary synapses start to be eliminated, a process called …..
synaptic pruning
synaptic pruning decreases white matter
f grey matter
more synaptic connections is better
f want streamlined efficient connections
Synaptic pruning makes the brain more efficient.
t
cells other than nurons that send electrical impulses across brain circuit e.g. myelin :T
white matter
how do the changes in metacognitive ability relate to brain structure and function
metacognition was correlated with amount of white matter in prefrontal cortex indicates circuitry is more streamlined
white matters job?
Provide support and protection for neurons and compose a fatty substance, called myelin, that surrounds the axons of certain neurons.
T: The process through which the brain circuits are insulated with myelin, which improves the efficiency of information processing.
myelination
T: The capacity of the brain to change in response to experience.
plasticity
is plasticity only in adolescences
no but Some areas of the brain may be especially malleable, or “plastic,” in adolescence.
2 types of brain plasticity
- developmental brain plasticity
2. adult plasticity
T: The malleability of the brain during periods in which the brain is being built, when its anatomy is still changing in profound ways, as in the case of adolescence.
developmental plasticity
T: Relatively minor changes in brain circuits as a result of experiences during adulthood, after the brain has matured.(doesn’t fundamentally change brain structure like developmental plas but learns new things)
adult plasticity
…. is
critical to shaping the brain during adolescence
Environment, experience
what did the study find that looked at the gene that determines degree of plasticity how does that gene interact with parenting practices
for boys in particular the more plasticity allels he carried the more likely unsupportive parenting practices lessen your self reg skills and more likely positive parenting practices increase self regulation= genetic makeup can determine how much their self regulation is influenced by enviro
Presence of gene = plasticity x …
interaction with experiences
carrying plasticity gene does what when paired with poor parenting
amplifies effect on self regulation but also amplifies for positive parenting
carrying plasticity gene does what when paired with poor parenting
amplifies effect on self regulation but also amplifies for positive parenting
during adolescence what area of the brain goes through the most dramatic changes
PFC
Adolescent brain is “remodeled” through
… (reflected in the thickening of the cortex, thinning of grey matter) and …. (reflected in increases in white matter) in particular brain regions.
synaptic pruning (unnessasary neurons)
myelination
(efficiency in info processing)
improved connectivity between Frontal cortex and limbic system explains what
processing of emotions, social info improves
Two important changes in brain function involving the prefrontal cortex (PFC) that leads greater info processing efficiency
Patterns of activation within PFC generally become more focused. n Activity in the PFC becomes increasingly coordinated with
activity in other parts of the brain. e.g. limbic
Performance on measures of …improves steadily during the first part of adolescence.
advanced thinking, or “executive function,”
The maturation of functional connectivity is more or less complete by age …
22
in adolescences Changes in how the brain is affected by certain neurotransmitters. which 2
dopamine and seretonin
T: NT with role in experience of reward
dopamine
T: (role in experience of different moods)
seretonin
Changes in limbic system may make individuals more resilient
f more vulnerable
how do Changes in limbic system may make individuals more vulnerable 4
More emotional.
n More responsive to stress.
n More likely to engage in reward-seeking and sensation-seeking behavior.
n More vulnerable to substance abuse, depression, and other mental health problems.
The age onset of most common psychiatric disorders is somewhere between the ages of … and …- why?
10 and 20.
heightened limbic system increases vulnerability
changes to limbic system happen when in adolescences
early before development of PFC
Limbic system before PFC -> implications?
seeking rewards, novelty before brain systems in change of decision making and impulse control develop
explains risk taking behaviours
Changes in the social brain during adolescence have both costs and benefits … what are the costs
more self-conscious and embarrassed
sensitivity to social cues and social evaluation = susceptibility to peer pressure
Today, the most widely used measures to assess
intelligence are …
intelligence tests.
individual differences in adolescents intelligence is important because
intelligence improves dramatically in adol
what does IQ stand for
Intelligence quotient
… assessed by traditional IQ tests increase dramatically through childhood and adolescence.
`Mental abilities
youth learn best when
when stimulated to reach a little further than they can grasp
Vygotsky emphasized … in which intellectual development occurs
context
T: what a kid can do with help
Zone of Proximal Development
its the role of the instructor to create opportunities that challenge students. to provide stepping stool for students to reach potential :T
scaffolding (our learning can be changed by enviro)
T: Involves such cognitive activities as thinking about people, social relationships, and social institutions.
social cognition
Adolescents’ conceptions of interpersonal relationships become more mature. in what 3 ways
Understanding of human behavior is more advanced.
n Ideas about social institutions and organizations are more
complex.
n Ability to figure out what other people think is more accurate.
Research on social cognition in adolescence falls into four categories:
Theory of mind
n Thinking about social relationships
n Understanding social conventions
n Conceptions of laws, civil liberties, and rights
the ability to take on others perspective :T
theory of mind or mentalizing
adolescences social cognition doesn’t just change the ways in which they think about people but also…
the way they think of society= more civic investment
these skills teach them they can challenge convention and they have the potential to change things
risk taking is common in adolescence. problem?
result in behaviours and accidents that can be prevented
how did the part of the brain that responds to reward (nucleus accumbans) differ in adolescents
peak in adolescents then dips back down in adulthood
brain heightened to reward during adolescence
what roles do peers play in risk taking
they reinforce it- when doing risk taking task alone less likely to take risks but when told friends were watching they would take risk even when reward is low = group influence
T: Decision making is rational and individuals try to maximize benefits of alternative courses of action and minimize costs.
behavioural decision theory
can behavioural decision theory explain for adolescents risk taking
no they are aware of risks,
heightened sensation seeking and still developing self-control but context matters!
adolescents are only risker drivers when with peers than when they have adult passengers.
f adolescents on average are riskier drivers than adults, but also Youth drive more recklessly when they are alone or with peers than when they have adult passengers.
youth behave in risky ways because of faulty decision making
f because of Dif values and priorities Adolescents and adults evaluate the desirability of possible consequences differently. e.g. social consequences more weight vs adults health risk
how can we message adolescences to prevent risk
convince them that the reward is small not the cost is small
Adolescents may be more attuned to the … than adults are.
potential rewards
5 ways adolescences thinking is more advanced
- can think beyond what is real= thinking of possibilities
- can think abstractly
- can think about thinking
- multidimensional rather than limited to single issue
- see things as relative rather than absolute
for the child, what is possible is what is real; for the adolescent, what is real …
is just a subset of what is possible
thinking of what is possible beyond our reality allows adolescents to think “…”—to think not only about how things actually are, but to think about what might have been
counterfactually
in adol you are who you are
f who you are is just one possibility of who you could be.
The adolescent’s ability to reason systematically in terms of what is possible comes in handy when learning …2
math and science.
Although many parents believe that their children become more argumentative during adolescence, what is more likely going on is that …
the cognitive changes of the period enable them to be better arguers
children are unable to conceive of things being different from what they observe
f But adolescents are able to move easily between the actual and the possible, to generate alternative possibilities and explanations systematically, and to compare the ways things are with the way they might be under different circumstances.
T: A type of logical reasoning in which one draws logically necessary conclusions from a general set of premises, or givens.
deductive reasoning
One manifestation of the adolescent’s increased facility with thinking about possibilities is the development of …
deductive reasoning.
All hockey players wear mouth guards.
Kim is a hockey player.
Does Kim wear a mouth guard? how do deductive reasoners answer this
ndividuals who reason deductively understand that the correct conclusion (Kim wears a mouth guard) necessarily follows from the first two statements
All hockey players wear mouth guards.
Kim is wearing a mouth guard.
Is Kim a hockey player?
adolescents are more likely to say that there is no way of knowing whether Kim plays hockey, because we are not told that the only people who wear mouth guards are hockey players.
why are adol better able to answer the hockey q
One reason for their superior performance on these sorts of problems is that adolescents are better able to catch themselves before they incorrectly answer the question and pause a moment before responding (controlling actions brain area develops)
T: if then thinking
hypothetical thinking
what does hypothetical thinking require
you need to see beyond what is directly observable and apply logical reasoning to anticipate what might be possible. Being able to plan ahead, to see the future consequences of an action, and to provide alternative explanations of events
suspend beliefs about something to think abstractly