Cognitive development refers to the growth of reasoning and thought processes. Adolescence is the time when more sophisticated thought processes start to emerge. During this period, they may be able to think abstractly and formulate original concepts or queries. Adolescence gives a developing teen the capacity to methodically consider every logical connection inside an issue. Over time, formal logical procedures replace concrete thought processes. Each adolescent develops their capacity for more sophisticated thought at their own pace. Every teenager forms their own unique perspective on the world. Before they can use logical processes to solve personal issues, some teenagers might be able to apply them to schoolwork. An adolescent’s cognitive reasoning may become even more sophisticated when emotional problems arise. Emotions, facts, and possibilities can all have a good or negative influence on decision-making. This research will focus on such questions as the theories explaining adolescent cognitive development and their findings, and self-reflections from the findings of their research.
Theories explaining Adolescent Cognitive Development
From this theories, the question that the readers may raise include the following. What it is the implication of the theory in adolescent development? How does it influence growth and development of the mind, especially between 12 and 18 years? What are the implication of the theories in terms of thinking development and socialization?
Results and Analysis of the Theories
Cognitive Social Theory (CST).
According to the hypothesis, people pick up new behaviors by imitating and watching other people (Andrews et al. 2021). Rebuffing conduct reduces the likelihood of redundancy, but compensating conduct increases the likelihood of repetition. According to the mental social learning hypothesis, adolescent men and women observe specific behavioral patterns in same-orientation models and receive reinforcement and discipline for different behavioral patterns, which leads to behavioral variations based on orientation. Specifically, men and women adopt orientation-adjusting behaviors because they receive positive reinforcement for actions that align with their orientation jobs and negative reinforcement for actions that do not. Because they seek to imitate same-orientation positive models, young men and women also place more emphasis on orientation job-reliable behavioral patterns (Andrews et al. 2021). From the perspective of social mental learning, young men and women can learn acceptable behavior patterns to emulate without immediate assistance or punishment.
On the other hand, youngsters could learn acceptable orientation job behaviors simply by observing the motivating factors and disincentives concentrated on other same-orientation positive examples. In the end, young men and women internalize these explicit orientation rules of behavior and modify their own choices accordingly (Demetriou et al. 2020). According to the conjecture, the center and the connection between an individual’s experiences and mental developments undergo constant change. These ideas have their roots in friendly behaviorist theory, which emphasizes external forces; but, modern theories of advancement also emphasize internal aspects and the importance of personal experiences. According to the social mental learning theory, attentional control is a psychological cycle that helps people acquire new skills by imitating and observing those in their environment (Demetriou et al., 2020). An alternative viewpoint highlights the importance of the child’s inspirational qualities, their level of dedication to their education, and their fearlessness—which is defined as the belief that one can influence the results.
According to Andrews et al. (2021), there are connections between teenagers’ capacity for mentalizing and perspective-taking skills and the social mental improvement theory. By mentalizing, we can learn how other people think and anticipate how they will behave. Studies employing functional neuroimaging techniques have examined the brain regions involved in mentalizing across different age groups. We could have done this by encouraging the participants to use their minds to investigate the ideas and concerns of others. According to the study, children may use different mental systems than adults to determine the objectives of others. According to the theory, children use mental strategies when engaging in social tasks that need more direct reflection about both themselves and other people. As a result, young people may be able to deal with social data and other problematic activities more quickly. It is essential to have the choice to view things from their point of view when deciding who allies to side with and adjusting to new amicable circumstances. According to Andrews et al. (2021), this enhanced helpful connection between mentalizing districts following friendly prohibition may function with the capacity to consider the goals of others, including those of the individuals who are barring the members. Therefore, mentalizing may have a role in how effectively people adjust to demanding social situations.
Piaget’s Theory of Peer Influence
Piaget’s theory of mental development primarily focuses on how individuals learn and develop in terms of their perception, processing, and organization of information. This is Piaget’s proposed hypothetical structure. According to Piaget, a person’s social interactions and partnerships with their friends have a direct impact on the mental development that occurs during childhood, when friendships have a significant influence. Based on the findings of Babakr et al. (2019), the early stages of that period mark the transition from the pre-young adult stage to the formal functional phase of mental improvement. This stage is characterized by emotion that considers multiple options, thinking that is distinct and speculative, and believing that is justified. Peers have an impact on teenagers since they are still forming their sense of self. The impact of friends on teenagers’ mental development can manifest itself in a variety of ways.
In an ideal society, it becomes more apparent when people try to blend in and follow social norms during their pre-adult years. Adolescents may adopt particular behaviors, beliefs, or mindsets that are typical of their peers in order to blend in and foster social bonds. It can occasionally help kids think even more clearly (Babakr et al., 2019). Youths encounter contrasting ideas and differing points of view through discussions, arguments, and thought sharing with their peers. Because of these connections, people improve their mental abilities and develop more sophisticated thought processes.
Piaget also emphasized the role that social cooperation plays in structuring moral cognition. Peer pressure during childhood can have an impact on a person’s conception of right and wrong as they discuss and resolve moral dilemmas with their friends. Youths acquire a more complex understanding of ethical quality and receive knowledge about alternative moral perspectives through moral debates and discussions. Considering everything, peer pressure has an impact on young people’s mental development and personality structure. Young people may assess other personalities, occupations, and behavioral styles in front of their friends in an effort to feel accepted and included in the group. This request contributes to the development of a complex and cohesive identity.
Perspective and Advancement in Adolescent Thinking
Youth is a period of rapid mental transformation. Quick mental development is the product of a confluence of growing awareness and information, shifting societal presumptions, and organic alterations in the connections and architecture of the brain. Some skills develop at or shortly after pubescence, and these progressions usually begin at or shortly after youth (Bajovic and Rizzo, 2021). Improvement of principal capabilities, or the mental capacities that permit the direction and synchronization of thoughts and conduct, is known to be related with the prefrontal cortex region of the cerebrum. The two main schools of reasoning that influence child comprehension are constructivist and data handling theories. In light of Piaget’s analysis, the constructivist viewpoint employs a quantitative, stage-hypothesis method. According to this theory, youth experience rapid and significant intellectual growth (Bajovic and Rizzo, 2021). The data handling approach originated with a focus on artificial consciousness and understands mental evolution in terms of the general extension of certain components of the reasoning system.
Compared to younger children, the thinking of teenagers is less constrained by particular experiences and more receptive to options outside of the immediate reality. The growth of logical thinking skills, which leads to the formation of speculative reasoning, is one indication of the juvenile’s enlarged bound when it comes to probability believing (Bajovic and Rizzo, 2021). This gives one the ability to plan ahead, predict how decisions will affect future events, and provide optional explanations for events. Teens who are able to refute the assumptions made by their parents or other friends also develop into more skilled debaters. Children also cultivate a more contemporary understanding of probability. Youths experience a period of rapid mental capacity development and improvement during the high school years, which affects how they perceive the world (Bajovic and Rizzo, 2021). Young people are currently prepared to consider options and choices outside of rigid, significant ideas as they become more speculative and unique in their thinking. They are able to understand and delve into difficult concepts like moral quandaries and hypothetical thinking.
Reactions from the Theories
In my opinion, CST provides a comprehensive framework for understanding human behavior by bringing together individual and societal norms for thought and action. It takes into account both the internal neurobiological cycles occurring in people’s bodies and the external social and environmental factors that impact their beliefs, attitudes, and actions. To understand their social context and act accordingly, it takes into account the fact that humans engage in the dynamic mental processing and interpretation of ecological information. Andrews et al. (2021) may have made a number of mistakes in their focus on the examination plan and method. Since the review is based on newly disseminated works and hypothetical structures, there is a greater chance of bias and interpretive limits. Adopting reaction biases and failing to adequately handle the intricacies of social mental cycles are risks of relying on emotional estimations or self-detailed information to evaluate adolescents’ social mind development. The results are unlikely to be generalizable to the population at large due to insufficient data on segment and test size. Future research should use larger, more diverse, and impartially assessed partners to further validate the validity of the review’s findings.
Similarly, the impact of companions on the development of the juvenile brain is fundamental, according to Piaget’s theory of mental development. Teens have valuable opportunities to hone their critical thinking, mindfulness, and ethical reasoning skills via exposure to the perspectives, ideas, and challenges of their peer groups. Teachers, parents, and policymakers can greatly benefit from understanding and effectively utilizing companion effect in their endeavors to promote the healthy social and mental development of youth. Testing the Babakr et al. (2021) survey’s validity and consistency amounts to testing in the absence of any clear and comprehensive explanation of the testing system. Concerns about the sample’s ability to accurately reflect the population at large would be well-served if we refrain from delving into questions of sample size and selection criteria. Also, the methods used to account for any mysterious confounding variables that may have affected the outcomes are not discussed in the review.
There is a possibility that Bajovic & Rizzo (2021) made a few mistakes in the methodology and the exploration plan that they used for their evaluation. In any instance, problems arise with regard to the generalizability of the results because there is no specific information regarding the size of the examples. Additionally, the evaluation is dependent on self-report tools, which may be susceptible to biases or incorrect responses from the participants or members of the group. Without even a hint of a control or examination group, it is difficult to establish a causal relationship or determine which factors applied the most influence. This is because it is difficult to determine which factors applied the most impact.
Next Step and Future Research
The development of reasoning skills or social cognition may be the subject of the following inquiry or field of study about the cognitive development of teenagers. Researchers could look into how adolescents think and solve problems when assessing reasoning skills. This could entail examining their capacity for abstract thought, working through challenging mathematics problems, or showcasing their capacity for reasoning across a range of subjects, like physics or philosophy. Intimate relationships and proximate social contexts, such as family, parents, and friends, are the core subjects of research on the value of social connection. Much less is known about how distal surroundings could impact adolescent social connection, which calls for additional study on the social aspect of cognitive development. Proximal social contexts do not always have greater influence than distal surroundings, despite the nested structure of environments suggesting a hierarchical order.
Conversely, social cognition describes people’s comprehension and interpretation of social interactions and circumstances. Researchers could look into how teenagers learn to comprehend the intentions, feelings, and beliefs of others in the context of cognitive development, and how this affects their relationships and social interactions. Researchers may be able to learn more about how cognition develops during adolescence by looking at reasoning skills or social cognition. Through shedding light on the particular cognitive processes or mechanisms that support teenage development, these studies can assist guide educational strategies or interventions that can foster healthy cognitive growth during this crucial time.
Conclusion
In summary, the rise of progressively complex mental cycles denotes the basic phase of high school mental turn of events. Various things, like social cooperation’s, mind development, and profound encounters, affect it. Albeit the hypotheses introduced offer keen clarifications of the standards and methodology basic high school mental turn of events, more examination is important to grasp this complex peculiarity totally. It is critical to recollect that every one of the speculations raised has downsides and biases. The review might utilize self-announced information or little example sizes, which can bring inclinations and cutoff points into the outcomes. Both inside factors — like mental health — and outside factors — like social cooperation’s and ecological impacts — affect it. Profound issues can additionally cultivate the development of mental thinking.
References
Andrews, J. L., Ahmed, S. P., & Blakemore, S. J. (2021). Navigating the social environment in adolescence: The role of social brain development. Biological Psychiatry, 89(2), 109-118. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Saz-Ahmed/publication/347916263_Navigating_the_Social_Environment_in_Adolescence_The_Role_of_Social_Brain_Development/links/6017da2a45851517ef2eb908/Navigating-the-Social-Environment-in-Adolescence-The-Role-of-Social-Brain-Development.pdf
Babakr, Z., Mohamedamin, P., & Kakamad, K. (2019). Piaget’s cognitive developmental theory: Critical review. Education Quarterly Reviews, 2(3).https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1274368.pdf
Bajovic, M., & Rizzo, K. (2021). Meta-moral cognition: bridging the gap among adolescents’ moral thinking, moral emotions and moral actions. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 26(1), 1-11. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02673843.2020.1867206
Demetriou, A., Kazi, S., Makris, N., & Spanoudis, G. (2020). Cognitive ability, cognitive self-awareness, and school performance: From childhood to adolescence. Intelligence, 79, 101432. https://www.academyofcyprus.cy/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/DEMETRIOU-ET-AL_ABILITY_SELF-AWARENESS_SCHOOL-PERF_INTELL2020.pdf
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