CHAPTER 15
Cognitive development :
In this section we will illustrate and talk about these three
subject :
 Formal operational thought
 Adolescent egocentrism
 Moral development
These three subject shows how does the person or child
reasoning and analyzing ability growth and become more mature
in the period of adolescent.
In the Formal Operational Thought, the “development of logic “
and how that it’s “ Not a Universal Stage “ will be discussed .
And in the Adolescent Egocentrism , the persons thinking of him
self and how others affect his way in thinking about him self
well be illustrate
Formal operational thought :
Definition:
][ It’s the stage in which the adolescent begins to build
system or theories in the largest sense of the term ][
In 1958 “Piaget” who is the one that show the deference between
the child and Adolescent thinking.
In simple word he shows the following:
Adolescent uses there imagination in finding answers and makes
possibility for solving problems or issues in daily life.
Childs in other hand depends on practical “empirical” more than
thinking and possibilities.
Flavell says:
“The child has an earth bound concrete , practical-minded sort of
problems solving approach . . . the child hugs the ground of
detected empirical reality rather closely , and speculations about
others possibilities . . . occur only with difficulty and as a last
resort . An adolescent or adult is likelier to approach problems
the other way around . . . reality is subordinated to possibility “
So the adolescent cognitive growth make them speculate and
fantasize on higher scale and make them capable to form
principles and rules for explain the deferent aspects of life and
experiences.
This growth attained in the age “about “ 15 …
Peel and Inhalder and Piaget undertook several studies and
experiments to insure and find this development within the ages
from 4-15 , so they can trace the age in which this development
begins to appear .
Development of logic :
One of the studies was asking from the Childs to balance a
balance scale by putting deferent weights hooked in the arms of
the scale in several places .(away or near the center )
In the age of 4 , the child put the weights on one scale !
In the age of 7 , the child know that the scale will balance by
putting the weights ( same weights ) on the deferent sides . but
they ignore the importance of proximity to the center .its the
start of (concrete operational thought ) .
In the age of 10 , the child begin to see that the distance affect
the force of weight , and after several trial he could balance the
scale by deferent weights .
In the age of 13-14 , some children know the relationship between
the weight and its distance from the center if the scale and
calculate the right answer to balance the scale even with
deferent weights .
That’s happen as result to theoretical possibilities , they take
time and analyze and came up with a result , after that becomes
the practical side of the issue .
Other exam is done also to verify logical thinking and reasoning ,
Peel “ 1971” told the following story :
][ only brave pilots are allowed to fly over a high mountains. This
summer a fighter pilot flying over the Alps collided with an aerial
cable airway , and cut a main cable causing some cars to fall to
the glacier below . Several people were killed and many others
had to spend the night suspended above the glacier . Was the
pilot a careful airman ? Why do you think so ? ][
The answers of group of 78 children , a sort of them between
the age of 9-11 year give the answer that the pilot is “ brave “ or
“ not brave “ with out clear rational for their answers .
Another group 12-13 years old , give AN EXCLUSIVE ANSWER
depending only on the content of the passage . one of the
answers was “ No, because if he were careful he would not have
cut the cables. “
But the last group , ages from 14-15 , read the passage and give
answers beyond the content of the story and show imagine
thinking and good rational , such as the weather condition affect
the path of airman and his airplane.
Its obvious from the two studies how adolescence think and use
their imagination and put possibility in consider of many aspects
of experience .
Not a Universal Stage :
Humans varies from one to another , size , voice , shape , color
…etc . and also in their cognitive ability and growth . Piaget knows
the fact of that the society and education involve in person
cognitive and logics . Also he know that there is adolescence still
think like ( concrete operational children ) and not all adults
reach the Formal Operational Thought .
Adolescent Egocentrism .
The adolescent in his adolescence period have an idea that there
is no one go through the same condition he is , especially in
experiences they have .
They create that IMAGINARY AUDIENCE which tell them what
others think about them , so the reaction of the person depend
on that sound , for example the person spend a lot of time in
front of mirror wondering what other will say about him , and if
the result (judgment) positive he will strong self confidence and
the opposite for negative judgment .
And it takes several years until this egocentrism declines.
Fantasias and Fables :
Egocentrism go far away from reality and create new wrong idea !
Like what called “ Foundling fantasy “ , so the adolescent think
that he is living with his non original parents , if he find some
deference’s in his intelligence or general physical look .
Another error is what called “ Personal Fable “ in which the
person take in mind that his life is heroic or mythical and famous
..etc
Take in consider that the of adolescent thinking is a mix of
imagine and reality , but they refuse the reality when it interfere
with hopes .
Moral Development :
Cognitive ability includes the ones judgment about the Right and
Wrong , and when to consider either that “ any subject “ in simple
word ( good or bad ) for adolescent .
Stage of Moral Development :
In the adolescence , studies show that in early ages “12-13” start
to reject rules from others so they can replace it .
In the age of “14-15” they go with drag force , or with what
society or ones group with acceptance .
In the age of 17 or 18 , the adolescent start to think about
others influence , and may be reject it .
And over 18 , the young person is able to coordinate the demands
of authority , the social group , and the individual .
How to know what the adolescent want ?
Is to share and talk very clearly about adolescent problems and
dilemma instead of giving orders or putting rules . Because they
start to mature cognitively.
Tow Moral Issues :
Sex
Drugs
Sex : sexual behaviors leads to two problems , STD and Early
pregnancy .
These two problems give a clear image about something wrong in
adolescent . Its obvious that there is increasing rate of STD and
unwanted pregnancy within the period of adolescent , its lake of
information and knowledge about this matter .
The adolescent keep silent and door closed with who is closer for
him “ parents “ , because they don’t like orders or rules made by
other , and this may indicate that they got immature thinking or
moral reasoning when it comes sex .
Drugs :