Cognitive Development in Adolescents
Adolescence is a time when individuals go through many changes. These changes occur in the bodies and brains of the teen. The order of pubertal maturation is similar among most people. But the timing is different in some, if not all individuals. Studies have been conducted on the stages of maturation in young people. These studies range from one, which showed no signs of development, to 5 which showed full signs of development (Mendle, Harden, Brooks-Gunn, & Graber, 2010). When a child reaches adolescence not only does their body change, but their brain does as well. These new changes mixed with the environment can cause some alterations in emotions and cognition (Steinberg, 2010). The adolescents
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When a child hits puberty their brain starts thinking differently then when they were younger (Elkind, 1967). They are now able to conceive their own thoughts. With these newly developed notions they are able to reason more accurately (Elkind, 1967). Another aspect that comes with the maturation of the brain, is the new awareness for the thoughts of not only themselves but others (Elkind, 1967). Although this is a new found perspective of thinking for teens, they are still not able to discern what others are thinking and their own mental preoccupations. (Elkind, 1967). In other words, he/she thinks that others are just as interested in his or her appearance and behavior as they are. This is the egocentrism that is faced during puberty (Elkind, 1967).
Prefrontal Cortex and Limbic System:
Additionally, during puberty the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system are also developing ( B.J., Getz, & Galvan, 2008). The prefrontal cortex, the more rational side of the brain, is still immature in the adolescent’s brain. Whereas the limbic system, the more pleasure seeking side of the brain, is being used to make decisions by most teens (Steinberg, 2010). It has been suggested that the rate of adolescent risk taking is very high (Steinberg, 2008). The changes that transpire in the prefrontal cortex, put young people at a higher risk of reckless behavior (Steinberg, 2008). During middle adolescence (ages 14-17) risky behavior is
The article “Dude, Where’s My Frontal Cortex?” by Robert Sapolsky talks about the delayed maturation of the frontal cortex in teenagers and how the underdeveloped frontal cortex is the cause of erratic behavior of teenagers. Sapolsky explains to the reader how the frontal cortex does not fully develop until the age of twenty for a person and how that part of the brain is important for extensive reasoning, impulse control, and emotional regulation. He shows the reader how particularly emotional situations affect both a teenager and an adult differently due to either having or not having a matured frontal cortex. This example that he uses allows for the reader to see how a teenager responds to situations with extreme thoughts and behavior which
Mascarelli, Amanda Leigh. " The Teenage Brain." Student Science. Society for Students & the Public, 17 Oct. 2012. Web.
David Dobbs in the Article “Beautiful Brains” proves the theme that it takes teenage brains longer to mature due to the recent change in impulsivity and adolescent behaviors.
They are going through transitions in intellectual development and the process and transition of primary to secondary education.’ There are various intellectual skills that an adolescent will learn within this life stage. When in the adolescent life stage, the emotional development norms for an individual is to learn their personal identity and they must leant about who they are about how to control their emotions within the change of puberty. Low self-esteem and confidence issue is often something most teenagers struggle with. With adolescence secondary learning occurs, a person’s self-worth can change within this life-stage due to the social situations that an individual had to be within, also their use of clothing, language and religion etc. The introduction of hormones can often change how teenagers see themselves. Adolescent’s independence that they go through can affect their social and emotional development.
The article “Inside the Teen Brain’ by Marty Wolner, states that the human brain provides parents with shocking new evidence to possibly explain the sometimes irrational, illogical, and impulsive behavior of teenagers. Teenage years are radically more active and dynamic than they previously thought. So teenagers are left with most of the information reaching their brains being processed in the emotional part (limbic system). Information processed in the limbic system without benefit increases the processing in the prefrontal cortex. It may result in impulsive, egocentric, and maybe even risky behavior choices. The prefrontal cortex of the teenage brain does not excuse inappropriate or irresponsible behavior from the teen. The brain is not yet
Many parents or adults wonder why adolescents act the way they do and want answers as to why. Numerous of these actions adolescents make are because of the prefrontal cortex(PFC). The PFC isn’t developed until the mid 20s which causes teenagers to lack on seeing the consequences before they make a risky or impulsive decision. In The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, he illustrates that adolescents show impulsivity, decision making, and risk taking.
Based upon scientific findings, the adolescent brain is constantly growing and changing. The character Romeo, in Shakespeare’s famous play, displays how his adolescent brain is growing and changing. For instance, in the play, it states,”She is too fair, too wise, wisely too fair, to merit bliss by making me more despair.” (1.1. 218-219) This quote reveals that Romeo is deeply in love with Rosaline but as his youthful brain changes he quickly falls in love with Juliet with little knowledge of her. Not to mention, in the article, Are teenage brains really different from adult brains, it conveys, “Teenagers experience a wealth of growth in synapses during adolescence” (Edmonds). This small excerpt informs us that the synapses that help us make reasonable decisions are at an increase. In the same source, another significant
As young people progress through the adolescent stage they begin to view the world and themselves very differently than as they did a few years earlier. They become more intellectual. In the later stages of adolescence young people become less concerned about their appearance and social acceptance and more concerned about worldly issues and "who they really are." From the required text I have learned that by late adolescence, most teenagers think of themselves in terms of enduring traits, beliefs, personal philosophy, and moral standards. As they get older, children and adolescents define themselves less and less by what they look like and more and more by what they believe or feel (Child and Adolescent Behavior, pg. 196).
As a teen, the human brain is not yet fully developed. One’s cognitive ability falls short to the ability of an adult brain, which has had more time and is fully developed. In the article, “Startling Finds on Teenage Brains”, research given during a televised conference at the White House shows that teens impulsive and erratic behavior can be linked to the massive loss of brain tissue that occurs during the teen years. With teen brains not being fully developed, and the research explaining and linking their behavior to their brains, I believe
The writing of this article is focused on the findings of various scientists who have long been researching about the parts of the brain that change during the adolescence. Also, the information is supported by evidence and has been acknowledged by other experts in the field of neurobiology which makes this article extremely reliable. The article is also easy to understand because complex
Though very familiar with most of the risk taking and unconventional behavior typical to teenagers, from my own adolescence, I never really understood why it happened. Watching the two videos “Insight into the Teenage Brain” and “The Mysterious Workings of the Adolescent Brain” gave me a better understanding of the psychological processes that take place during adolescence. To my surprise, both scientists had a different approach than I expected: instead
Cognitive development in this stage of adolescence centers on the experiences of the adolescent and how they are processed
The purpose of this issue paper is to compare and contrast two different articles one written by L.E. Berk in 2010 that explores lifespan development. The other article was written by the staff and research team at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford in 2012 that addresses what cognitive development is and the progress of adolescence cognitive development. Cognitive development begins from the moment of birth and continues throughout life. However, this student finds the cognitive abilities are more complex during the adolescent years. Therefore, the issue this paper will address is adolescence cognitive development.
There are five characteristics that all adolescents have. These characteristics are biological growth and development, an undefined status, increased decision-making, increased pressures, and the search for self. The brain and the endocrine system control biological growth and development. During the early stages of adolescence, individuals experience growth in height and weight, changes in the body, the development of sexual characteristics, and skin problems. For example, I started getting curves in my body when I hit puberty. My body started to develop changes. Our society’s expectations for children and adults are clear, but for the adolescent, expectations are inexplicit. Some adolescents are treated like children, but some are treated like adults. There is an undefined status. For example, my parents pay for my lunch, but I have to have a job so I can support myself.
Adolescence is the distinct transitional stage between childhood and adulthood in human development, extending primarily over the teenage years and terminating legally when the age of majority is reached (Rathus, 2014). However in some instances, this biological, cognitive, social and emotional maturity may not be reached until a later stage and may be dictated by gender. Adolescence is characterised by rapidly changing and unpredictable behaviour (Freud, as cited in Rathus 2014), heightened and unstable emotions (Hall, as cited in Rathus 2014), disturbances in identity, the gradual development of one’s moral reasoning (Kohlberg, as cited in Rathus, 2014) and the gradual establishment of one’s independence. Several of these changes may occur at differing phases in adolescent growth. This development is categorized into three separate stages; early adolescence, middle adolescence, and late adolescence. Early Adolescence, commencing from the ages of eleven or twelve until the age of fourteen, comprises of several features such as rapid biological development and maturity, heightened stress levels and limited coping capabilities. On the other hand, middle adolescence, from the approximate age of fourteen to sixteen, involves the gradual cease of biological change, an increase in coping strategies and declined stress levels. Furthermore, late adolescence, commencing from the age of sixteen until the age of eighteen or nineteen, encompasses physical maturity, whereby the