Psych 19 Ch. 11

Around age 11, young people develop the capacity for abstract, systematic, scientific thinking.

When faced with a problem, they start with a hypothesis, or prediction about variables that might affect an outcome, from which they deduce logical, testable inferences. Then they systematically isolate and combine variables to see which of these inferences are confirmed in the real world.

Adolescents' ability to evaluate the logic of propositions (verbal statements) without referring to real-world circumstances

Adolescents' belief that they are the focus of everyone else's attention and concern

Certain that others are observing and thinking about them, teenagers develop an inflated opinion of their own importance - a feeling that they are special and unique