Cognitive development
in adolescent
Cognitive Development
 Mental activities
 Cognitive development
 Organisation
and thinking process
 Reasoning abilities
Changes in the adolescent stage:
 Language ability
 Ability in making decision
 Memory and reasoning capacity
Piaget’s Theory
 Concrete Operational stage (6-11)  Thinking and
reasoning ability is limited  only to object that can
be seen concretely.
 Formal Operational stage ( 12 & above).
 Hypothesis testing (scientific & matured)
 Understand complex and abstract issues.
 Predict & Planning
 Long term planning
Cognitive Development increases markedly during
adolescence!
~Teens begin to use formal operations to solve problems during
this period of their growth.

Piaget’s approach to cognitive development has had a
significant influence on developmental psychologists.

FORMAL OPERATIONS PERIOD is the stage during which
people develop the ability to think abstractly.

Piaget asserted that children enter this stage at the beginning of
adolescence
Criticisms of Piaget's theory and approach.


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Research finds individual differences in cognitive
abilities not universal.
Some researchers suggest that cognitive
development is more continuous, less step-like
than Piaget proposed.
Piaget underestimated the skills of infants and
young children.
Piaget focused only on thinking and knowing,
missing other kinds of intelligence.
Full capabilities of using principles of logic unfold
gradually, throughout early adolescence
(approximately ages 12 to 15).
 But not everyone achieves formal operational skills
(some studies estimate that 25 percent — 50 % of
college students do not).
 Social values/ culture also influence the
achievement of these skills
 Isolation, level of formal education, level of
scientific sophistication in the community

Information Processing Approaches to Cognitive
Development, continued


Information Processing Perspectives assert that one
of the key reasons that mental abilities advance
during adolescence is the growth of metacognition
The growth of METACOGNITION, the ability to think
about one's own thinking process and their ability to
monitor their cognition.
Egocentrism in Adolescent Thinking
Developmental Psychologist David Elkind argues that
the adolescent period fosters adolescent egocentrism
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ADOLESCENT EGOCENTRISM is a stage of self-absorption
where the world is seen only from one's own perspective.
Thus adolescents are highly critical of authority figures,
unwilling to accept criticism, and quick to find fault with
others.
Adolescent egocentrism helps explain why teens often think
they’re the focus of everyone’s attention!
Adolescent egocentrism leads to 2 distortions:
 IMAGINARY
AUDIENCE, where adolescents
think they are the focus of everyone else's attention.
Constructing elaborate scenarios about other’s
thoughts/intentions
 PERSONAL FABLES, the belief that the
adolescent is unique and exceptional and shared by
no one else
No one understands me
Risk taking behavior
Adolescent Stage:
 More complex thinking process - abstract thinking
 Reasoning ability  based on available principles
 Can compare and debate issues
 Able to think the process of thinking
 Thinking ability of a child and adolescent/ adult
differs  more complex.
Cognitive changes in adolescent.
 Systematic thinking ability
 Cognitive changes gradually
 Development towards formal operation differs
for different individual  their perceptions
towards the world around them is different.
 Issues related to emotions  can hinder
adolescent to think complex issues.
 Implication  can be +ve or –ve
Indicator influencing adolescent cognitive development: Early
adol.

a.
b.
c.
More complex thinking  focused more on
personal decision making (relates to home and
school environment), such as:
Home/school work
Questions rules, authority, standard in society
Giving opinion towards certain topic of interest 
that relates to their everyday chores/living
 Best sports/games?
 Good looking?
 Change rules ?
Indicator influencing adolescent cognitive
development: Middle adol.

a.
b.
c.
Thinking process increases and more developed 
covers issues related to philosophy and the
future:
Questions asked are more advanced
Analysis ability better
Think and form own code of thinking (what’s
right?)
Indicator influencing adolescent cognitive
development: Middle adol.
d.
e.
f.
g.
Thinking of other alternatives and form own
identity (Who am I?)
More systematic thinking style  consider their
goals in life (What do I want?)
Think about the future  long term planning.
Thinking ability are more systematic  influence
behavior towards others.
Indicator influencing adolescent cognitive
development: Late adol.
More complex thinking process  focused on
personal decision making but less self-centred.
Issues such as:a. Global / advance issues  (justice, history, politics
& patriotism)
b. Form own ideas about certain topics/issues.
c. Like to debate.
d. Thinking  more geared towards career
development.
e. Started thinking about their role in society.

Factors influencing health cognitive
development:
 Involve them in discussions.
 Encourage them to share ideas and opinions.
 Help them to set their goals.
 Encourage them to think of future possibilities.
 Encourage and praise  where appropriate.
 Assist them in making decision.
How cognitive development during adolescent can
influence parent-child relationship?
 Changes during adolescent (Physical, social,
mental)  impact on their lives
• Social
• Physical
• Thinking process
 Consequent  Adolescent – Parents Conflict
Disagreement Topics
 Galambos
 Responsibilities,
 Duties / house chores
 Pocket money, dating
 Friends
 appearance
 Barber
 Families,
 School
 Curfews
 Dating
 Peers
 Sexual behavior
 Tubman  Conflict must occur  as a part of normal
adolescent development.
Reasons for Parents-child conflict
 Individuation period  adolescent set own identity 
different from parents.
 De-idealization  Adolescent are now aware that
parents are not always right/perfect (started to
think what’s logic and what’s not).
 Advance in reasoning  abstract and logical
thinking ability  reasoning ability.
 Are more interested in the concept of JUSTICE,
RIGHTS, EQUILITY. (Thus  can think and
questions rules set by parents)
Conclusion
 Even though conflicts always occurs  but its not
harmful  will not threaten parents-child
relationship.
 In fact, conflict during adolescent is “simply a
part of becoming an adult”.
 Light (1990)  studies showed, some adolescent do
 Admire their parents.
 Discuss problems with parents.
 Seek advise and opinion from parents
 Love and feel loved by their parents
 Feel treasured and respected by parents.
School Performance
in the Adolescent Years

While cognitive abilities increase, school performance
tends to decline.

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Reasons not completely clear—more strict grading?
There is a strong relationship between educational
achievement and socioeconomic status (SES)

Poorer children have fewer resources, lower health, more
inadequate schools, and less involved parents.
The U.S.
had high
graduation
rates, but
those rates
are dropping
compared to
other
industrialize
d nations.
The reasons
for the drop in
U.S. rates are
likely related
to a
combination
of factors,
including the
growing
diversity of
U.S. schools.

High School Graduation Rates
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There are ethnic and racial differences in school
achievement but the reason for them is not clear.
In general, African-American and Hispanic
students perform at lower levels than
Caucasians and Asians perform at higher levels.
When socioeconomic levels are taken into
account, achievement differences diminish.
Additional success factors are the cultural value
of school success, attributions of school
success, and consequences for not doing well.