Cognitive Development (Formal Operational Thought)

• What is Formal Operational Thought according to Piaget?

• The final stage of cognitive development (beginning around age 11/12+) where individuals can separate reality from possibility and think abstractly.

• How is formal thought different from concrete thought?

• Concrete thought deals with physical objects and immediate realities, whereas formal thought deals with abstractions (ideas, values), uses combinatorial analysis to solve problems, and applies hypothetical-deductive reasoning.

• What are the main criticisms of Piaget's theory of formal operations?

• Formal operations may not be universal, people may only use abstract reasoning for familiar problems, and Piaget's empirical tests did not reflect real-life adult problem-solving.

Riegel's Dialectical Operations

• Recognizing that problems may not have a single best solution and alternate solutions exist.

Arlin's Problem Finding

• Going beyond problem-solving to actively define and identify new problems.

• Why is abstract thinking related to egocentrism, and what are two signs of this tendency?

• Abstract thought allows adolescents to think about their own thoughts and view themselves as an object in the environment, causing temporary egocentrism.

Imaginary Audience

Believing everyone else is as hyper-focused on your appearance and behavior as you are

Personal Fable

Believing your feelings and destiny are uniquely special and that bad things happen only to others (invincibility)