Chapter 3 - Cognitive changes Flashcards
Cognitive & Psychosocial changes - Early [4]
- Concrete thinking
- Sexual identity and orientation development
- Body image
- Peer identification
Cognitive & Psychosocial changes - Middle [5]
- Abstract thinking
- Moral development
- Religious & political views
- Invicinbility
- Romantic interests
Cognitive & Psychosocial changes - Late [4]
- Better impulse control
- Further development of middle adolescence tasks
- Autonomy
- Vocational development
Cognitive & Psychosocial changes - Secular trend [1]
the observation that children today tend to start puberty earlier than kids did in the past
Cognitive & Psychosocial changes - Precocious puberty [2]
- Girls: Signs like breast or pubic hair before age 8.
- Boys: Genital development before age 9.
What is thelarche? [2]
- the onset of breast development in girls.
- Associated with early puberty, often influenced by various factors.
Cognitive & Psychosocial changes - Causes of precocious puberty [4]
- Health
- chemicals (endocrine disruptors = early physical changes)
- nutrition, obesity
- family stress
Decrease in age of menarche [3]
Age of menarche has decreased in Western countries due to:
- Better nutrition (more balanced diets).
- Components in foods like soy.
- Increased body fat % and obesity.
The secular trend - Other influences [3]
- Presence of a stepfather may affect puberty timing due to exposure to non-biologically related male pheromones (but this is not fully understood).
- Family stress and conflict can also play a role.
- Socioeconomic status (SES) and stress levels impact the timing of puberty.
Implications of Early vs. Late Pubertal Maturation - Health Risks [2]
Early maturation may lead to problems like:
- cardiovascular disease
- cancer
Piaget in Binet’s Lab [3]
- Worked with standardized tests of logical reasoning.
- Focused on children who gave incorrect answers.
- Observed that children reason differently at different ages.
[3] Key Concepts of Piaget’s Theory
All children go through the same stages in the same order.
3 Main Processes:
- Assimilation: fitting new information into existing knowledge.
- Accommodation: changing existing concepts to fit new experiences.
- Equilibration: balancing new information with existing knowledge.
Cognitive Development: Piaget’s Theory - [4] Stages
- Sensorimotor Stage (0-2 years)
- Preoperational Stage (2-7 years)
- Concrete Operational Stage (7-11 years)
- Formal Operational Stage (11+ years)
Sensorimotor Stage (0-2 years) [3]
- Focus on sensory perceptions and motor skills
- Object permanence: understanding that objects still exist even when not seen.
- Language acquisition begins.
Preoperational Stage (2-7 years) [2]
- Development of symbolic thinking (like playing pretend) but egocentric (seeing only their own perspective).
- Meta-cognition: awareness of one’s own thinking.
Concrete Operational Stage (7-11 years) [4]
- Logical thinking develops
- Reversibility: understanding that actions can be reversed.
- Conservation: knowing that objects can change shape but remain the same.
- Decentration: focusing on multiple aspects of a problem.
Formal Operational Stage (11+ years) [2]
- Abstract thinking: can think about possibilities and hypothetical situations.
- Competence-Performance Gap: Difference between understanding a concept and being able to show it.
What is the Wason Selection Test in relation to Piaget? [3]
- Problem using four cards: dog, fish, number 2, and number 5.
- Rule: “If a card has a fish, it must have an odd number on the other side.”
- Those in the formal operations stage can solve it; those in concrete operations struggle.
[3] Critiques of Piaget’s Theory
- Small Sample Size: Based on a limited number of children.
- Cultural Bias: His findings may not apply to all cultures.
- Strictly Sequential Stages: Development may not always follow the exact order of stages.
What are the [10] NEGATIVE psychosocial implications for early vs late pubertal maturation among GIRLS?
- depressed mood
- negative body image
- disordered eating
- substance abuse
- deliquency
- aggressive behaviour
- school/parents problems
- victims of bullying
- risky sexual activity
- increased adult expectations
What are the [4] POSITIVE psychosocial implications for early vs late pubertal maturation among GIRLS AND BOYS ?
- More popular
- Less likely to have difficulties with peers
- More socially skilled / Better self-esteem (boys
- Favorable body image (sometimes)
What are the [8] NEGATIVE psychosocial implications for early vs late pubertal maturation among BOYS?
- Negative body image
- Disorded eating
- Substance abuse
- Deliquincy behaviour
- School problems (grades)
- Victims of bullying
- Risky sexual activity
- Increased adult expectations
Biology & Hormones Factors Affecting Sleep Patterns - Cortisol [1]
Stress hormone that increases during puberty.
Biology & Hormones Factors Affecting Sleep Patterns - LH (Luteinizing Hormone) [1]
Its secretion increases during sleep in adolescents, playing a role in reproductive health.
Biology & Hormones Factors Affecting Sleep Patterns - Melatonin [4]
- Hormone secreted by the pineal gland.
- Regulates the sleep-wake cycle.
- Its production is suppressed/delayed during puberty.
- Affects kisspeptin, which helps trigger the onset of puberty
Biology & Hormones Factors Affecting Sleep Patterns - Body temperature [1]
There may be a delay in body temperature regulation during puberty, which can affect sleep.
[2] Psychosocial Factors Affecting Sleep Patterns
- Eating Habits: what you eat can influence how well you sleep.
- Physical Activity: regular physical activity can improve sleep quality.
Information Processing Model: [4] Areas of Improvement in Adolescence
- Attention
- Working memory
- Processing speed
- Organization
Information Processing Model - Attention [2]
- Selective Attention: ability to focus on one specific thing while ignoring distractions.
- Divided Attention: ability to pay attention to two or more things at the same time.
Information Processing Model - Working memory [4]
- Working Memory: short-term memory used for tasks and problem-solving.
- Long-Term Memory: storage of information for a longer period.
- Autobiographical Memory: better at remembering personal life events.
- Reminiscence Bump: tendency to recall more experiences from adolescence and young adulthood.
Information Processing Model - Processing speed [2]
- Ability to process and solve problems faster.
- The biggest increase in processing speed occurs in early adolescence.
Information Processing Model - Organization [2]
- Use of organizational strategies to solve problems effectively.
- Helps improve memory and understanding.
Brain Development Stages [3]
- Overproduction of Synapses (0-2 years)
- Pruning
- Myelination
Brain Development Stages - Overproduction of synapes [1]
Rapid growth of connections between neurons in early childhood.
Brain Development Stages - Pruning [2]
- Occurs in gray matter.
- Unused neurons are discarded, making the brain more efficient.
Brain Development Stages - Myelination [4]
- Occurs in white matter
- Myelin is a fatty substance that protects neurons, speeding up communication between them.
- Stimulated by puberty and life experiences.
- Skills and habits formed during adolescence often continue into adulthood.
Age of Opportunity [3]
- The brain’s ability to change in response to experiences.
- Developmental Plasticity: Major re-modelling and maturation of neural structures that are shaped by experience.
- Adult Plasticity: minor changes occur after development is complete.
[3] Brain areas that change in adolescence
- Prefrontal cortex
- Amygdala
- Hippocampus
Prefrontal cortex [3]
- Acts as the brain’s “CEO.”
- Responsible for: planning, memory, mood regulation and organization
- More focused but may act without thinking.
Amygdala [2]
- Involved in emotional responses like fear, love, and anger.
- Plays a role in memory related to emotions.
Hippocampus [2]
- Functions like a filing cabinet for memories.
- Important for forming new memories and learning.
[5] key cognitive milestones
- Thinking about possibilities
- Abstract concepts
- Thinking about thinking
- Multidimensionality
- Adolescent relativism
Thinking About Possibilities [4]
-
Hypotheticodeductive reasoning
- From a hypothesis → conclusion
- uses “if/then” thinking
- Can move easily from specific scenarios & general ideas
- Start thinking about future career possibilities
- Mentalizing (understand other people’s perspectives and mental states)
Abstract concepts [2]
- Abstract reasoning (thinking about complex ideas like politics, philosophy & religion)
- Interpersonal relationships (understanding and navigating social interactions becomes more sophisticated)
Thinking about thinking [2]
-
Metacognition: reflecting on one’s own thoughts and behaviors.
- Involves self-awareness and self-consciousness.
- Decision-Making: can analyze choices more critically but may also feel self-absorbed.
Thinking about thinking - Egocentrism [3]
- Imaginary audience: the belief that everyone is focused on their behavior and opinions.
- Personal fable: feeling that one’s experiences are unique and that others cannot understand them.
- Invincibility: The belief that what happens to others won’t happen to me.
Multidimensionality [2]
- Thinking in more complex ways about oneself and others.
- Understanding double entendres or sarcasm.
Adolescent Relativism [2]
- Viewing things as relative rather than absolute.
- Skepticism about accepting “facts” as absolute truths.
The social brain - Social sensitivity [2]
- Heightened awareness of social cues and peer influence.
- Greater brain activity when interpreting others’ emotions, like facial expressions.
The social brain - Mental State Attribution [1]
Ability to understand things like sarcasm and perspective-taking.
Peer Pressure & the Brain [3]
- Adolescents are more vulnerable to peer pressure and substance use due to:
- A greater desire for rewards.
- Increased susceptibility to mental health issues like depression and anxiety.
