Adolescent Cognitive Development Research Articles

Adolescents’ attributions about aggression: an initial investigation

This study examined causal attributions about aggression made by 362 participants from three age groups: early (138 7th and 8th graders), middle (121 11th and 12th graders), and late (103 college students through age 22) adolescence. Participants read a brief vignette describing a peer who displayed either proactive (non-emotional, instrumental) or reactive (emotional, undercontrolled) aggression. Participants then rated the extent to which they attributed each of 48 descriptors to be causes for the peer's aggressive behaviour. Confirmatory factor analyses of the attribution questionnaire supported the hypothesized model of causal beliefs. The strength of endorsements of internally oriented causal factors increased with age. Findings are discussed with regard to social–cognitive development in adolescence and implications for future research on aggression in the peer context.

Birth weight and cognitive development in adolescence: causal relationship or social selection?

Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health (Add Health), I investigate the relationship between birth weight and cognitive development among adolescents aged 12-17. Initial OLS regression models reveal a significant, positive relationship between low birth weight and verbal ability. Controlling for demographic, socioeconomic, and other adolescent characteristics modifies, but does not eliminate, this relationship. Additional models that stratify the sample by parental education illustrate the greater importance of other family and adolescent characteristics for cognitive development in adolescence, and a diminished role of birth weight. In the final section of the paper, fixed effects models of non-twin full siblings indicate no significant association between birth weight and verbal ability, suggesting that traditional cross-sectional models overstate the influence of birth weight for cognitive development in adolescence.

Cognitive strategies employed in trying to arrange a first date

This article deals with how adolescents go about making a date. It uses a funnelling approach to elicit information which is then studied in more detail in a series of further steps. Study 1 used a short survey to obtain data concerning subjects' ( n=410) experience of dating. Thereafter, 47 of these subjects selected situations and actions relevant to their dating experience, from two specially prepared lists. Study 1 provided information concerning the relevance of the lists, their comprehensibility and the frequency with which subjects had encountered specific situations or actions. In Study 2, 287 subjects completed the survey, 73 were selected and given revised versions of the lists. After selecting situations and actions, they were interviewed concerning their choice. Subject's responses are discussed with respect to social cognitive development in adolescence.

Assessment of cognitive development in adolescents by means of neuropsychological tasks

Development of the frontal lobes of the brain is known to continue through late adolescence, in contrast to the earlier maturation of other cortical regions. Because cortical regions appear to mature at different rates, neuropsychological tests that are differentially sensitive to functioning of specific cortical regions were used to examine developmental trends in cognitive performance. Seventy‐two participants were classified into 3 stages of development: prepubertal, pubertal, and postpubertal. The results demonstrated that performance improved throughout adolescence on 9 of the 11 neuropsychological tasks. The few sex differences that were identified primarily consisted of male participants performing better than female participants on visual‐spatial tasks. Results from the a priori comparisons indicate that the tasks associated with frontal lobe functioning showed more improvement across maturational stages than tasks associated with parietal lobe functioning. Results are discussed in terms of the relation between brain development and cognitive development.

The Utility of Understanding Adolescent Egocentrism in Designing Health Promotion Messages

This article proposes a product of adolescent development, egocentrism, as an important factor in developing health promotion messages. The relations between egocentrism, an outgrowth of adolescent cognitive development, and several persua- sive outcomes related to adolescent risk behavior are explored. Two measures of egocentrism-imaginary audience (IA) and personal fable (PQ-are described as they relate to adolescents' risk related behaviors and other variables. The relations between egocentrism, gender, and age are also discussed. Data are presented briefly to illustrate the theoretical argument. Given the importance of influencing adolescents' risk behaviors, egocentrism is important, as understanding PF and IA can influence design of health messages. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

A Model for the Development of the CNS Role in Adolescent Health Promotion Self-Care

A meaningful definition of the CNS has been difficult to express because of the versatility of the role, yet a clear understanding of the role responsibilities is essential to ensure successful implementation of the CNS position within a select client population. Adolescence is a period in the life-span that represents such a population. Adolescents undergo certain cognitive changes that render them vulnerable to health-damaging behaviors often initiated during this stage of development. Health promotion self-care strategies by the CNS are important in helping the young person incorporate positive health practices in daily activities. A conceptual model, based on Orem's general theory of nursing, has been developed through literature review and refined through practical application. It is presented as a framework by which health promotion needs of the adolescent may be predicted, recognized, and satisfied through components of the CNS role, the basic concepts of Orem's model, and characteristics of adolescent cognitive development.

Fertility awareness as a component of sexuality education. Preliminary research findings with adolescents.

Fertility awareness refers to the observation and interpretation of cervical mucus, often called vaginal discharge. A woman's cervical-mucus pattern indicates the time of ovulation and differentiates the fertile and infertile phases of the menstrual cycle from each other. Fertility awareness enables a woman to know when pregnancy can and cannot occur on a daily basis during each menstrual cycle. There has been, to date, almost no exploration of the appropriateness of fertility-awareness instruction for adolescents. A review of the literature on adolescent cognitive development, sexual activity, knowledge of fertility and contraceptive risk-taking behavior is presented. Based on the literature review, a theoretical rationale for fertility-awareness instruction as a unique sex-education curriculum for adolescents is proposed. The content and teaching techniques of a fertility-awareness presentation for teenagers is described. Directions for future research in fertility-awareness instruction for teenagers, and the need for long-term follow-up to assess the effects of such education on teenagers' sexual activity and contraceptive use are discussed.

The Adolescent as decision-maker: applications to development and education

Concepts of Development in Adolescence: J. Worell and F. Danner, Adolescents in Contemporary Context. P.H. Miller, Theories of Adolescent Development. Journey through Adolescence: F. Danner, Cognitive Development in Adolescence. A. de Armas and J.A. Kelly, Social Relationships in Adolescence: Skill Development and Training. D.K. Lapsley, R.D. Enright, and R.C. SerlinMoral and Social Education. J. Suls, Self-Awareness and Self-identity in Adolescence. R. Ames and C. Ames, Adolescent Motivation and Achievement. Transitions to Adulthood: A. Boxer, R.A. Levinson, and A.C. Petersen, Adolescent Sexuality. J. Worell, Sex Roles in Transition. G.B. Melton, Are Adolescents People? Problems of Liberty, Entitlement, and Responsibility. Index.

Adolescent Development within a Family Context

This special issue of the Journal of Early Adolescence is devoted to articles which explore family relations during early adolescence. The topics examined in these 10 articles include parent and peer relations, intrafamily conflict, the association between puberty and family relations, the relationship between family behavior and adolescent cognitive, self-concept, and identity development, resiliency and vulnerability, coping strategies, the effects of divorce on adolescents, and single-parent families. In this introduction the main points of each article are briefly summarized, and strengths and limitations are pointed out.

The Association between Early Adolescent Boys' Cognitive Development, Father Attitudes and Nonverbal Behavior

Based on Piaget's equilibration theory, father dogmatism and empathy was hypothesized to influence sons' cognitive development through non-verbal behavior in father-son interactions. Subjects were 52 pairs of fathers and their sons drawn from first-year high school students of bi-parental families. Fathers' dogmatism and empathy was assessed by questionnaire, sons' cognitive development with Piaget's permutation task using the clinical procedure, and fathers' nonverbal behavior by videotaping father-son interactions while they worked on a computer terminal. A factor analysis of fathers' nonverbal behavior revealed two factors accounting for 59.3% of the variance. One factor is mainly loaded with fathers' visual behavior and body orientation toward their sons while keeping at a distance from them. The other factor is mainly loaded with fathers' smiling behavior. No relationship was found between fathers' dogmatism, empathy and sons' cognitive development, but the nonverbal factor "father smiles" was associated with both sons' cognitive development and fathers' dogmatism. A multiple regressions analysis revealed that together these traits account for 24% of the variance in the nonverbal factor "father smiles." This result is interpreted as not only showing once more children's effects on parents' behavior, but also as evidence that by using both some of the child's and some of the parents characteristics we can account for more of the variance in the parent's behavior with his child than if either are considered independently.

Adolescents' competency to make informed birth control and pregnancy decisions: An interface for psychology and the law

The US legal system is in need of more substantive data on which to base court decisions regarding adolescents competency to make informed birth control and pregnancy decisions. In general parents are given the power to make decisions on behalf of their minor children. Although the law recognizes that exceptions can be granted in the case of mature minors there are no definite criteria for maturity. The preferred strategy to determine whether adolescents can make competent decisions requires examination of the legal requirements for a competent decision and then evaluation of adolescents cognitive development to see if and when they meet the legal requirements (i.e. evidence of choice reasonable outcome of the choice choice based on rational reasons ability to understand and actual understanding). The developmental literature suggests that formal operational thought which allows individuals to appreciate the nature and potential consequences of alternative treatment options sufficiently to reach a meaningful decision emerges between the ages of 11 and 13 years. In addition the psychological research indicates that involvement in treatment decisions allows adolescents to gain relevant experience and facilitates moral development. However the specific area of reproductive decision making in adolescence has not been addressed directly in the literature. Specific psychological research is needed to provide evidence that will resolve the current legal dilemma and ambiguity by indicating whether adolescents meet the requirements of competency when confronted with birth control and pregnancy decisions as well as the age at which these components are reliably present. A potential strategy for addressing these issues would require the psychometric development of a sound measurement instrument to assess legal competency in the context of reproductive health dilemmas.

Beyond Formal Operations: Late Adolescent and Adult Cognitive Development

Beyond Formal Operations: Late Adolescent and Adult Cognitive Development Get access Beyond Formal Operations: Late Adolescent and Adult Cognitive Development, M. L. Commons, F. A. Richards, & C. Armon (Eds.). Praeger Publishers, New York, 1984, 463 pp., $29.95 (hardcover). Journal of Gerontology, Volume 39, Issue 6, November 1984, Page 765, https://doi.org/10.1093/geronj/39.6.765 Published: 01 November 1984

Developmental and Differential Aspects of Mental Rotation in Early Adolescence

A chronometric mental rotation paradigm was applied to examine manipulation of visual imagery in early adolescence in relation to age, sex, mental rotation ability (measured psychometrically), and socioeconomic background. Fifth- and seventh-grade boys and girls from middle and lower socioeconomic backgrounds viewed tachistiscopically letters of the alphabet presented at 0 degrees, 60 degrees, 120 degrees, and 180 degrees of rotation and were asked to judge whether the letter was forward or backward. In one condition, children were given no information about the test letter, and in the other, advance visual information about its identity and orientation was provided. With age, children became more skillful at rotating and were more likely to show evidence of using the advance information as a visual image. There were no sex differences. Socioeconomic differences were more pronounced in the fifth than the seventh grade. Children showing high mental rotation ability were more likely than low-ability children to show evidence of rotating visual stimuli on the chronometric measure. The findings are discussed in terms of adolescent cognitive development.

Cognitive Socialization During Adolescence

Our knowledge of cognitive development in adolescence is still surprisingly limited, despite all the available data. It is possible that the primary subject-environment relations of adolescents have not been sufficiently considered. This paper seeks to describe the development of cognitive structure as establishing isomorphism between the subject and the environment, with regard to "primary content areas", using an ecological model of cognitive development as the theoretical framework. The primary content area chosen for this analysis was modern work structure. In the analysis clearly definable stages could be discerned along two dimensions. The first of these was the serial differentiation of the psychological concepts "effort-industry" (E), "aptitude-intelligence" (A) and "pure subject" (S). Once an individual has attained the level of S he can function independently of the work process by being liberated from the relationships between the subject and the environment and is capable of thinking independently. The data presented supports this and confirm the theoretical expectations regarding the development of implicit concepts. The second dimension is the development of planning in relation to the temporal sequence of tasks. The planning becomes more efficient in this respect and the data confirm the expected developmental sequence in efficiency: (a) reliable execution of tasks, first without and then with consideration of time limits; (b) systematic use of tools and machines; and (c) the delegation of tasks. An investigation of outsolving organisational problems confirmed the expected developmental sequences of planning.

Sex Education and the Reduction of Adolescent Pregnancies: Prospects for the 1980s

Pregnancy risk is conceptualized as the frequency of unprotected sexual intercourse among adolescents, and therefore can be reduced only by reducing the frequency or likelihood of sexual activity or improving the effectiveness of contraceptive behavior among those who are sexually active. It is argued that formidable barriers continue to undermine the attempts of sex education programs' to reduce pregnancy risk among adolescents. Four barriers are discussed: (1) adolescents who intend to become pregnant due to untenable family situations or unful- filled affectional and attachment needs, (2) variable rates of adolescent cognitive growth and development which may be out of phase with contemporary modes of sexuality and contraceptive education, (3) sex role structures of adolescent couples which, in a traditional mode, encourage precocious sexual activity and inhibit effective contraceptive behavior, and (4) lack of parental knowledge, understanding, and support in regard to providing information on human sexuality and contraception to children. Research is reviewed which documents the existence of these barriers, and which suggests that sex education will have minimal impact on pregnancy risk among adolescents until these barriers are removed or greatly weakened. Hence, too much immediate payoff is expected from school-based sex education programs if they are to be justified and evaluated on the basis of their ability to significantly reduce the adolescent pregnancy rate. Consequently, sex education programs are likely to fail from the outset when sex education sympathizers and critics under-emphasize or fail to recognize the barriers which continue to plague the implementation of effective programs.

Adolescent cognitive development: Implications for learning disabilities

Adolescent cognitive development: Implications for learning disabilities

Can the first pregnancy of a young adolescent be prevented? A question which must be answered

The title of this paper is a question, and the text of the paper presents some issues and ideas which are the sources of the question. Included are notions from the literature on adolescent cognitive development and their relation with the notion of "prevention". It is argued that the notion of prevention is taken for granted in professional thinking about adolescent pregnancy and that a fuller understanding of this idea in the context of adolescent cognitive development could have clear consequences for research action.

Chapter I: Cognitive Development in Adolescence

Chapter I: Cognitive Development in Adolescence