Adolescence – The Brain and Cognitive Development

Describe the anatomy of the neuron and the ways that neurons communicate with each other.

A neuron consists of the cell body, dendrites (receiving parts), and the axon (carries information away). Neurons communicate through chemical signals via neurotransmitters across synaptic gaps.

List and describe the three most significant structural changes in the brain during adolescence and how they change.

1. Corpus Callosum: Experiences significant changes.
2. Prefrontal Cortex: Increase in white matter, decrease in gray matter.
3. Limbic System: Matures earlier, dopamine activity greater in early adolescence.

What are the main findings of research related to the roles of age and brain plasticity?

Neurogenesis documented in the hippocampus and olfactory bulb. The brain retains considerable plasticity, especially when injuries occur early in adolescence.

Compare and contrast Piaget's concepts of assimilation and accommodation.

Assimilation: Incorporating new information into existing knowledge. Accommodation: Adjusting a schema in response to new information.

How does adolescent thinking change in Piaget's stage of formal operational thought?

Thinking becomes more abstract, with the ability to consider hypothetical situations and abstract propositions.

What did William Perry and Gisela Labouvie-Vief describe as changes in thinking that occur in early adulthood?

Perry described a move from dualistic thinking to relativistic thinking. Labouvie-Vief noted an increase in the influence of emotions on thinking.

What are the characteristics of the stage of post-formal thought?

Reflective, relativistic, contextual, provisional, realistic, and influenced by emotion.

Define the term wisdom and describe how wisdom develops over the life cycle.

Expert knowledge about the practical aspects of life. It develops over time with personality factors like openness and creativity playing a critical role.

Describe Lev Vygotsky's social constructivist approach to learning.

Knowledge is situated and collaborative, best advanced through interaction with others in cooperative activities. Key concept: the zone of proximal development (ZPD).

Compare and contrast Piaget's and Vygotsky's views on adolescent cognitive development.

Piaget focused on individual knowledge construction through stages. Vygotsky emphasized social context and learning through social interaction.

Explain how adolescents differ from children in managing cognitive resources.

Adolescents have an increased capacity to monitor and manage cognitive resources effectively.

Define the term attention and describe the four types of attention.

Concentration and focusing of mental effort. Types include selective, divided, sustained, and executive attention.

Define the term memory, describe the three types of memory, and tell how they change in adolescents.

Three types: Short-term (limited capacity), Working (mental workbench), and Long-term (permanent). Short-term memory increases into adolescence but slows, working memory improves, and long-term memory continues to develop.

Compare and contrast the decision-making abilities of children, younger adolescents, and older adolescents.

Older adolescents are more competent than younger adolescents, who are more competent than children, but older adolescents are far from perfect.

List at least three behavioral, cognitive, or psychosocial factors involved in making good decisions.

Remaining calm, considering social context, and practicing realistic decision-making.

List at least three cognitive changes that allow for improved critical thinking in adolescence.

Increased speed, increased breadth of knowledge, and the increased ability to construct new knowledge.

Compare and contrast convergent and divergent thinking.

Convergent thinking produces one correct answer. Divergent thinking produces many answers to the same question.

Name three strategies you recommend to teachers who wish to increase creativity among adolescent students.

Engage in brainstorming, introduce stimulating environments, build confidence.

Distinguish the characteristics of an expert from those of a novice.

Experts detect meaningful patterns, have more content knowledge, and retrieve information effortlessly.

Judge the value of intelligence tests.

Psychological tests are tools and their effectiveness relies on the knowledge of the user . Avoid stereotyping and recognize that IQ is not a sole indicator of competence.

What similarities and differences exist between Robert Sternberg's triarchic theory of intelligence and Howard Gardner's eight frames of mind theory?

Similarities: both propose multiple types of intelligence.
Differences: Sternberg includes analytical, creative, and practical intelligence while Gardner proposes eight frames of mind.

Concepts

Short-term Memory: A limited-capacity system for retaining information briefly. Working Memory: A mental workbench for manipulating information during decision-making and problem-solving. Long-term Memory: A permanent system holding vast amounts of information. Speed of Processing Information: Improves dramatically across childhood and adolescence. Decision-Making: Influenced by verbatim analytical thinking and gist-based intuition. Critical Thinking: Improved through increased processing speed, knowledge, and cognitive strategies. Prefrontal Cortex Function: Plays a crucial role in working memory and cognitive control. Role of Dopamine: An increase in dopamine is linked to increased risk-taking and reward-seeking. Corpus Callosum: Experiences significant structural changes during adolescence. Amygdala: Involved in processing emotions. Amygdala vs. Prefrontal Cortex: The limbic system (including the amygdala) matures earlier than the prefrontal cortex, leading to a preference for immediate rewards in early adolescence. Brain Plasticity: The brain's ability to repair itself and adapt, especially during childhood and adolescence. Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD): A concept by Vygotsky, referring to the difference between what a learner can do without help and what they can achieve with guidance. Formal vs. Post-Formal Thought: Formal thought involves abstract reasoning, while post-formal thought is reflective, relativistic, and contextual. Cognitive Changes in Adolescents and Adults: Adolescents develop abstract thinking, while adults show realistic and pragmatic thinking. Role of Education in Plasticity: Education can significantly benefit higher-level cognitive functioning in adolescents. Formal vs. Concrete Operational Stage: Formal operational stage involves abstract thought, while concrete operational stage involves logical reasoning about concrete events. Early vs. Late Formal Operational Stage: Early formal operational thought involves unconstrained, idealistic thoughts, while late formal operational thought involves testing reasoning against experience. David Elkind’s theory: adolescent egocentrism (personal fable, imaginary audience)-please know everything. EQ and Goleman: Emotional intelligence (EQ) involves the ability to perceive, understand, use, and manage emotions. Goleman popularized the concept of EQ and its importance in various aspects of life.