Cognitive development between 15 and 18 years

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Cognitive development between 15 and 18 years

By age 16, 70% of teenagers are capable of sequential logical thinking, considered to be an adult stage of thought.¹ They develop the ability to think abstractly, deal with several concepts at the same time, and imagine the future consequences of their actions.

These teens are now able to process more complex problems, to develop and test theories, to understand analogies, to reason inductively and deductively, and to think inferentially. They are better able to handle the rigors of a more demanding high school curriculum because their memory and organizational abilities—such as time management, test preparation, and study skills—improve. Written and spoken language become increasingly more sophisticated. They may be able to grasp political, moral, social, and philosophical concepts.

In some cases teens grow a bit arrogant with these newfound mental abilities, and parents often complain that their teens "know everything." It can sometimes be difficult to deal with teens during this time because although they understand that others have differing viewpoints, they often firmly believe their own perception is the most true or valid.

Even though teens develop adult cognitive abilities, they still do not have the life experiences to guide them in making the best choices. Indeed, adults struggle with this, too. They may reason that focusing on getting good grades in high school may further their academic future, but they might choose to spend their time working or socializing.

Researchers theorize that a teen's experiences determine, to a large degree, which connections in the brain are made stronger and which are "pruned," a sort of "use it or lose it" process. Researchers suggest that teens' accomplishments in sports or academics, for example, may positively affect the way they think for the rest of their lives. Advanced mental development may be the result of dramatic brain growth during puberty and then a refining process seen in the late teen years.

References

Citations

1. Strasburger VC (2000). Getting teenagers to say no to sex, drugs, and violence in the new millennium. Medical Clinics of North America, 84(4): 787–810.

Credits

Last updated:	May 04, 2006
Author:	Amy Fackler, MA
Reviewed By:	Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics, Louis Pellegrino, MD - Developmental Pediatrics
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Terrina Vail