Review of Cognitive and Adolescent Development

Flashcards covering criticisms of Piaget's theory, stages of language development, adolescent physical development (puberty, primary/secondary sex characteristics), brain changes, Erikson's theory of psychosocial development (Identity versus Role Confusion), and social dynamics in adolescence.

Criticism of Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development

Development is a continuous, not discontinuous, process; environmental factors and culture significantly influence development; children can exhibit thinking skills of multiple stages simultaneously rather than rigid progression.

Continuous Process (Development)

A model of development where different aspects can happen simultaneously, and individuals do not necessarily need to complete all aspects of one stage to advance to the next.

Western-Centric Theories

A critique suggesting that some developmental theories, like Piaget's, fail to account for the influence of diverse cultures on learning and age-related skill progression.

First Stage of Language Development

Characterized by initial verbal cues such as gurgling, crying, and grunts, marking the start of communication.

Second Stage of Language Development

Involves babbling, where infants make intentional sounds (initially single consonants, then syllables) without specific meaning but with clear intent.

Third Stage of Language Development (One-Word Stage)

Occurs around the end of the first year, where children use single words and begin combining two words to express their needs, like 'go park' or 'kitty milk'.

Fourth Stage of Language Development (Telegraphic Speech)

Marked by rapid vocabulary growth and the formation of mini-sentences that convey meaning despite often missing words and grammatical markings, such as 'throw ball all gone'.

Telegraphic Speech

Mini-sentences formed by toddlers, often lacking grammatical markers but following a logical syntax and conveying significant meaning (e.g., 'twirl ball all gone').

Fifth Stage of Language Development (Overregularization)

Language becomes more complex, but children incorrectly apply regular grammatical rules to irregular words, demonstrating their understanding of patterns (e.g., 'runned' instead of 'ran').

Overregularization

The tendency for young children to apply a regular syntax rule incorrectly to an exception, indicating their recognition of linguistic patterns rather than simple repetition.

Puberty

A significant physical marker in adolescence involving rapid physical changes as part of sexual development, including a notable growth spurt.

Secondary Sex Characteristics

Physical changes during puberty that are not directly involved in reproduction, such as body hair growth, breast development, voice deepening, and changes in fat distribution.

Primary Sex Characteristics

Physical changes during puberty directly related to reproduction, resulting in sexually mature reproductive organs and genitals (e.g., production of egg and sperm).

Limbic System (in adolescence)

The brain's emotional and motivational center, which is highly active during adolescence, influencing emotional decision-making over logic.

Frontal Cortex (in adolescence)

The brain region responsible for logical reasoning and decision-making, which is not fully developed until the early twenties in adolescents.

Quest of Identity

A critical period in adolescence where individuals explore various options to discover who they are, what they like, and develop a sense of self and independent thinking.

Factors Influencing Self-Identity

Include culture, personal experiences (such as trauma), family dynamics, and individual beliefs concerning characteristics like race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation.

Erik Erikson

A renowned psychoanalyst who proposed stages of psychosocial development, each characterized by a psychosocial crisis that requires resolution.

Fifth Stage of Psychosocial Development (Erikson)

Known as 'Identity versus Role Confusion,' where adolescents explore various roles and strive to define a clear sense of self, resolving the conflict toward a positive identity.

Identity Versus Role Confusion

The central psychosocial crisis of Erikson's fifth stage, challenging adolescents to explore and establish their identity by navigating different roles and beliefs.

Emerging Adulthood

The developmental period from approximately 18 to 24 years of age, where individuals continue to explore their identity and roles.

Parent-Adolescent Conflict

Often increases as adolescents develop their own independent identities, leading to disagreements as their thinking diverges from their parents'.

Peers (in adolescence)

Play a significantly crucial role in identity development during adolescence, often exerting more influence than parents.

Transactional Analysis

A concept positing that individuals play different roles (adult, parent, child); conflict arises when adolescents transition toward an adult role while parents remain in the parent role, without moving to an adult-adult dynamic.