Exam 4 Flashcards
What age range is considered Adolescence?
11/12-18/20 years
In Piaget’s theory, at what age does formal operations occur?
12+
What new ability develops in formal operations?
The ability to think abstractly
Steps of hypothetico-deductive reasoning:
- Deduce/form specific hypothesis. Develop list of factors
2. Test hypothesis in an orderly manner.
2 challenges/criticisms of Piaget’s theory:
- Overestimated ability of adolescents
- “Universality” of acquiring operations is questionable. (Doesn’t take into account other cultures, etc., like those who are in a survival forced society.)
What is the purpose of the corpus callosum?
Connects Left and Right hemispheres of the brain
What changes take place in the corpus callosum during adolescence?
- Thickens/gets denser
- Most likely comes from myelination
Functions of the limbic system?
- plays a role in emotions: fear, happiness, sadness and REWARD CENTERS.
- develops BEFORE the prefrontal cortex.
When is the limbic system fully developed?
age 14-15
What changes occur in white matter/myelination and gray matter/synapses in the brain during adolescence?
- There is an increase in white matter (myelination)
- and there is a decrease in gray matter (synapses/neural connections.) “Use it or lose it” Neural connections not being used are pruned.
How are the changes in white matter and gray matter similar/different in the adolescence period and infancy period?
- In both infancy and adolescence there is an increase in white matter (myelination)
- In adolescence we see a decrease in gray matter (neural connections/synapses)— BUT in infancy this gray matter increases.
What are functions of the prefrontal cortex?
- Involved in planning and thinking about the long term future (and consequences of actions.)
- Impulse control
- Develops AFTER the limbic system, in the midtwenties
At what age is the prefrontal cortex believed to be fully developed? And what impact does this have on adolescent behavior?
age 25
-Impulse control is fully developed far after the limbic system (reward/pleasure centers) so adolescents are more inclined to partake in risk taking behavior.
What is “imaginary audience” in regards to adolescent egocentrism?
It is the adolescent distorted belief that he/she is always the center of attention, falsely believes that everybody is looking at them.
What is “personal fable” in regards to adolescent egocentrism, and what are the potential impacts of it on thinking and behavior?
- It is the false belief that he/she is special and unique. “You don’t understand”— as if you’ve never gone through adolescence
- May lead to invincible thinking “I’m not susceptible to bad things happening.”
- Therefore may lead to risky behavior.
What does Erik Erikson’s stage theory propose?
In each stage there is a crisis that needs to be resolved.
EX: Infancy period: Trust and Mistrust
Adolescence: Identity vs. Identity Confusion
How does one get identity confusion?
Erikson proposed that if you did not establish your identity in adolescence you will have identity confusion.
Marcia’s identity statuses are based on:
Commitment level
and “crisis”/exploration
Low commitment, Low “crisis”/exploration
Diffusion
High commitment, Low “crisis”/exploration
Foreclosure
Low commitment, High “crisis”/exploration
Moratorium
High commitment, High “crisis”/exploration
Achievement
Identity Diffusion
Low commitment, low “crisis”/exploration
High in Adolescence, drops into 20’s
Identity Foreclosure
High commitment, Low “crisis”/exploration
Highest in early Adolescence, drops into the 20’s
