As we grow up from being kids to teenagers, our thinking starts to change a lot. It’s like our brain is firing new ideas together. It’s really interesting to see how this happens. Here’s what I’ve noticed:
When we're children, we use schemas. These are like mental boxes where we store information to help us make sense of the world. For example, a simple schema for animals might be, "cats are furry and purr." But as we become teenagers, our schemas become more detailed.
We start to learn that there are different types of cats, like Siamese or Persian, and that they might act in different ways. We also begin to use these schemas for more complicated things, like understanding friendships or what society expects from us. This shows how our thinking is getting more sophisticated.
In growing up, we also experience two important processes called assimilation and accommodation.
Assimilation is when we take new information and fit it into what we already know. For instance, if we meet a new animal like a ferret, we might add it to our "furry animals" category.
Accommodation is different. It happens when we come across new information that doesn't fit into our existing schemas. This leads us to change our schemas. As teenagers, we often face new ideas about gender, culture, and values. This ability to adapt is super important and shows that we are learning to think more critically.
When we become teenagers, we also get better at thinking abstractly. Unlike when we were kids, who focused mostly on clear examples, we start to understand more complicated ideas.
For example, we begin to think about moral questions like, “Is it ever okay to lie?” This shows that we can see things from different angles and understand there can be multiple outcomes.
Lastly, we develop something called metacognition—which means thinking about our own thinking. As kids, we might not even realize when we don’t understand something. But as we grow older, we start to notice our own thought processes.
We ask ourselves questions like, “How did I reach that conclusion?” and “What methods can I use to figure this out?” This self-awareness helps us learn and solve problems more effectively.
In short, our thinking changes a lot as we move from childhood to our teenage years. Through building more complex schemas, adjusting our understanding of the world, improving our ability to think abstractly, and becoming more aware of our own thinking processes, we start to see the world in richer and more detailed ways. This journey not only shapes how we think but also how we connect with others and deal with the challenges of life.
As we grow up from being kids to teenagers, our thinking starts to change a lot. It’s like our brain is firing new ideas together. It’s really interesting to see how this happens. Here’s what I’ve noticed:
When we're children, we use schemas. These are like mental boxes where we store information to help us make sense of the world. For example, a simple schema for animals might be, "cats are furry and purr." But as we become teenagers, our schemas become more detailed.
We start to learn that there are different types of cats, like Siamese or Persian, and that they might act in different ways. We also begin to use these schemas for more complicated things, like understanding friendships or what society expects from us. This shows how our thinking is getting more sophisticated.
In growing up, we also experience two important processes called assimilation and accommodation.
Assimilation is when we take new information and fit it into what we already know. For instance, if we meet a new animal like a ferret, we might add it to our "furry animals" category.
Accommodation is different. It happens when we come across new information that doesn't fit into our existing schemas. This leads us to change our schemas. As teenagers, we often face new ideas about gender, culture, and values. This ability to adapt is super important and shows that we are learning to think more critically.
When we become teenagers, we also get better at thinking abstractly. Unlike when we were kids, who focused mostly on clear examples, we start to understand more complicated ideas.
For example, we begin to think about moral questions like, “Is it ever okay to lie?” This shows that we can see things from different angles and understand there can be multiple outcomes.
Lastly, we develop something called metacognition—which means thinking about our own thinking. As kids, we might not even realize when we don’t understand something. But as we grow older, we start to notice our own thought processes.
We ask ourselves questions like, “How did I reach that conclusion?” and “What methods can I use to figure this out?” This self-awareness helps us learn and solve problems more effectively.
In short, our thinking changes a lot as we move from childhood to our teenage years. Through building more complex schemas, adjusting our understanding of the world, improving our ability to think abstractly, and becoming more aware of our own thinking processes, we start to see the world in richer and more detailed ways. This journey not only shapes how we think but also how we connect with others and deal with the challenges of life.