12,13,14 Flashcards
(24 cards)
Critical areas such as the
prefrontal cortex and limbic
system
develop at different
rates
The limbic system in adolescents
plays a key role in processing emotions, reward, and motivation, often leading to more impulsive and emotionally driven behavior during this stage of brain development.
This imbalance impacts
decision-making, emotion regulation, and
behavior.
The prefrontal cortex is responsible for
planning, judgment, and impulse control
Synaptic pruning
removes unused neural connections, strengthening used ones
Myelination
improves the speed and efficiency of brain
communication
The limbic system develops
earlier and drives emotional
and reward-seeking behavior
Neuroplasticity
is the brain’s ability to change, adapt, and reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life, especially in response to learning, experience, or injury.
High neuroplasticity
enables learning and adaptation but
also creates vulnerability
Oxytocin
acilitates bonding and
makes social connections more
rewarding. With both dopamine and
oxytocin engaged, it is no wonder
that adolescents seek peers and
excitement in their lives that could
end up actually harming them.
How do delayed school start times and mentorship support adolescent brain development?
Delayed school start times support teens’ brain development by aligning with their natural sleep rhythms, improving focus, mood, and academic performance. Mentorship helps by providing guidance, emotional support, and role modeling during a period when teens are developing critical thinking, identity, and decision-making skills.
Growth Spurts and Body Changes
Rapid increase in height and weight due to hormonal
surges.
* Girls typically experience growth spurts earlier than boys.
* Bones harden, and body proportions shift during puberty.
Early or late
puberty can affect self-esteem and social
experiences
Sleep Patterns and Challenges
Teens need 8–10 hours of sleep,
Biological shifts delay sleep timing, conflicting with early school schedules
What Happens During Sleep?
your body cycles through 4 sleep stages: 1, 2, 3 (Deep Sleep), and REM
What is Melatonin?
Melatonin is a natural hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain that helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle. It increases in darkness to help you feel sleepy and decreases in light to help you wake up, keeping your body clock on track.
Jean Piaget’s Formal Operational Stage
adolescents develop the ability to think abstractly, logically, and systematically, allowing them to solve complex problems, consider hypothetical situations, and think about future possibilities and moral issues.
concrete operational thinking
many adults revert to concrete operational thinking outside of familiar or trained domains.
David Elkind’s concept of Adolescent Egocentrism
refers to the way teenagers often believe that their thoughts, feelings, and experiences are unique and that others are constantly watching or judging them. This includes two key ideas:
Imaginary Audience
Personal Fable
Information Processing Theory
This theory views the mind like a computer, with development reflecting increased speed
and efficiency of processing rather than fundamentally new types of thinking.
Core Processes:
Encoding: Input of new information.
Storage: Maintaining information (sensory, short-term, long-term).
Retrieval: Accessing stored information when needed.
Visual Encoding
images and spatial layouts
Acoustic Encoding
sounds, especially language
Semantic Encoding
meaning of words, facts, or concepts — the strongest form
