Chapter 7 Learning Activity

Learning Objective:

Distinguish key characteristics across developmental realms associated with various ages and stages of human growth and development

Discussion Title 

Please title the Discussion Entry with Your Name

Discussion Entry Instructions:

Although we study physical, cognitive, social and emotional development as separate components, they all affect one another, particularly during adolescence.  I believe Piaget’s theory to be a critical component of not only understanding cognitive skills and reasoning ability at different ages, but also how these new mental abilities may impact us socially and emotionally.  Couple those changes with all of the hormones and confusion associated with puberty, and it is no wonder why adolescence has been known as the time of storm and stress.  It is a highly charged period in one’s life, with literally every aspect of one’s life and identity in a huge state of metamorphosis.

For this post, I would like you to reflect on your own adolescence and do two things:

• Post a MEME, or gif, reflecting your overall feelings about how formal operational thinking affected you in adolescence with the rationale for the selection of that image. The image should represent how your newly acquired formal operations skills, including your hypothetical deductive reasoning, and your more idealistic views of the world, impacted your social relationships including your family, peers, and other important figures in your life.  What relationship was there between your cognitive ability and your relationship dynamics?  How do you think these new cognitive skills changed your relationships with your family, peers, and others?  What emotions were generated as a result of these changes?  That is your MEME or your gif inspiration.  

Instructor Sample:

I was Hermoine (during her first year) through & through. A know it all with very little social skills. I was also pretty lonely for the vast majority of my teen years (No Ron & Harry for me).  However, as I got older I became very passionate about justice and calling awareness to issues. This meant that although I was a “teacher pet” I also had to find a balance to stand up to authority figures and the “Snapes” of the school.  At least before we found out the Snape wasn’t as problematic as we thought #restinpowerprofessorsnape). Simultaneously, I also felt “seen” when I was a leading group discussion and leading protests on my high school campus.  Eventually, I learned to consider the positive & negative motivations of my teachers or admin before I started a school protest against them. As a result, I learned to have more compassion for adults.