Teens Are Still Developing Empathy Skills: Article Analysis
Teens Are Still Developing Empathy Skills
Teens Are Still Developing Empathy Skills
The Wall Street Journal published an article entitled Teens Are Still Developing Empathy Skills, by Sue Shellenbarger (2013). This article is about how research shows that biology, not parenting, is to blame (Shellenbarger, 2013). According to Shellenbarger (2013) it is known that “ adolescence has been long been known as prime time for developing cognitive skills for self-control, or executive function.” This paper shows that research has proven that teenagers themselves are to blame for their insensitive and selfish behavior not the parents and also reiterates what Laura A. King (2013) states in Experience Psychology about development in adolescence and cognitive development. …show more content…
Jolien van der Graaff, a doctoral candidate in the Research Centre Adolescent Development, studied how adolescent males show a decline in related skills, empathy, or others feelings, while the females incline or stay stable (Shellenbarger, 2013).
Sue Shellenbarger shows us how a parent has tried to get her sons to care about others feelings since childhood, but Susan Burkinshaw said “one went through a period in eighth grade where he was just a bear to deal with, he always had an attitude, then as quickly as it came on, it turned back off again” (Shellenbarger, 2013). So basically as we age we teach our selves how to care for others and get the care feeling in us. Jennifer Pfeifer, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Oregon in Eugene, says, “the brain regions that support social cognition, which helps us understand and interact with others successfully, continue to change dramatically” (Shellenbarger, 2013). Some children develop affective and cognitive empathy earlier than others; each child has its own process. Parents can help instill affective empathy by encouraging children to walk in others’ shoes (Shellenbarger,
2013).
Boys also feel pressure from peers and some adults to “act like a man,” which they often define as being detached, tough, funny, and strong, says Rosalind Wiseman, Boulder, Colo., author of “Masterminds and Wingmen,” a new book about teen boys (Shellenbarger, 2013). Adolescents can shift moods rapidly, vacillating between happiness and distress and self-confidence and worry. Some of these mood changes stem from biological sources. Increased hormones and changes to the brain structure arise from normal physical growth. Also, complex social interactions such as conflicts with friends, school pressures and experimentation with romantic relationships can exacerbate the labile emotional state of adolescents. How our personality as well as our views changes as we grow is an interesting topic in human development. King (2013) noted in Experience Psychology that “development psychologists are interested in all the ways a person grows and changes throughout the time travel that is life, from its beginning to its inevitable end” (p.279).
This article has some topics that relates to chapter eight such as adolescence, cognitive skills, and how female and males mature at different ages. Brain changes influence behavior and behavior influences brain changes. Changes in the brain focus on the earlier development of the amygdala, which involves emotion, and the later development of the prefrontal cortex, which is concerned with reasoning and also decision making (King, 2013, p.289). Adolescence is a time when teenagers begin to explore and assert their personal identities. Usually around this period teenagers search where they fit in with peers. Sue Shellenbarger says, “In adolescence, critical social skills that are needed to feel concern for other people and understand how they think are undergoing major changes (2013). During this stage it is common for adolescents to have an unstable sense of self and try out new personal labels and associate with various peer groups. Just as I said earlier about how Ms. Burkinshaw’s son would not think about others and would always have an attitude. It is because he was unsure of where he belonged and at that age they only think about himself, but I am pretty sure as he grew older it would change.
Cognitive development refers to how thought, intelligence, and language processes change as people mature (King, 2013, p.294). Adolescence marks the beginning development of more complex thinking processes. Cognitive empathy arises from a different part of the brain, the medial prefrontal cortex, which continues developing later, through adolescence (Shellenbarger, 2013). This is basically what Piaget’s theory talk about; humans use schemas to make sense of their experience. In Piaget’s Theory adaptation is achieved through assimilation and accommodation. "Cognitive empathy," or the mental ability to take others ' perspective, begins rising steadily in girls at age 13, according to a six-year study published recently in Developmental Psychology. But boys don 't begin until age 15 to show gains in perspective taking, which helps in problem solving and avoiding conflict (Shellenbarger, 2013). Just like Piaget’s stage of formal operational stage. This is when the adolescent’s reasons in more abstract, idealistic, and logical ways. Kids who develop affective and cognitive empathy form healthy relationships and argue less with their parents, research shows (Shellenbarger, 2013).
Research on very young infants suggests the roles of genes and prenatal hormones in producing differences between the sexes (King, 2013, p.312). There is much overlap in the cognitive abilities of males and females. Infant girls have been found to gaze longer at visual stimuli than boys, and males are much more likely to be diagnosed with attention related problems. Just as in the article it shows how males and females mature at different paces. As I spoken earlier Jolien van der raff studied how adolescent males show a temporary decline in related skills, affective empathy, or ability to recognize others feelings (Shellenbarger, 2013). We always think that boys mature faster than girls; it’s really the other way around. Attention and perception, which occur at the earliest stages of information processing, appear to differ between the sexes and may ultimately provide some clues in regard to differences that occur later on in cognitive processing. Today, increasing evidence indicates that girls out-perform boys at all levels of schooling. From this perspective, differences in men’s and women’s career and life choices can be explained by differences in the availability of role models and beliefs about self-efficacy and personal control in these roles (King, 2013, p.314).
After living with my aunt and uncle, watching their kids grow up from a newborn. It’s amazing how the human developments I have learned now, explains so much I have seen with those two girls. Infant development has had some points that come out exactly right during that particular age and/or stage. Reflexes, motor and perceptual skills, and also brain changes are some of major development changes I have seen since they are still young. But every kid has his or her own unique pace of growing.
This is a very important topic for us to know because there are major unique stages in human development over a lifespan that makes it relevant to study each aspect. Each stage provides an insight that you can learn from whether its taking care of a child, decisions with yourself, and to also help elders. Haven’t we all been kids before as well? So wouldn’t learning more about how children develop help give additional vision in the person you’ve become? Also learning about human development will help you prepare the issues you may go through, as you grow older. Getting a better understanding of what is normal is another benefit of learning about this topic. You will have a good understanding on what is ordinary at specific ages and stages knowing about human development.
References
King, L. A. (2013). Experience Psychology. New York: McGraw-Hill
Shellenbarger, S. (2013, October 15). Teens Are Still Developing Empathy Skills. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304561004579137514122387446
Teens Are Still Developing Empathy Skills
The Wall Street Journal published an article entitled Teens Are Still Developing Empathy Skills, by Sue Shellenbarger (2013). This article is about how research shows that biology, not parenting, is to blame (Shellenbarger, 2013). According to Shellenbarger (2013) it is known that “ adolescence has been long been known as prime time for developing cognitive skills for self-control, or executive function.” This paper shows that research has proven that teenagers themselves are to blame for their insensitive and selfish behavior not the parents and also reiterates what Laura A. King (2013) states in Experience Psychology about development in adolescence and cognitive development. …show more content…
Jolien van der Graaff, a doctoral candidate in the Research Centre Adolescent Development, studied how adolescent males show a decline in related skills, empathy, or others feelings, while the females incline or stay stable (Shellenbarger, 2013).
Sue Shellenbarger shows us how a parent has tried to get her sons to care about others feelings since childhood, but Susan Burkinshaw said “one went through a period in eighth grade where he was just a bear to deal with, he always had an attitude, then as quickly as it came on, it turned back off again” (Shellenbarger, 2013). So basically as we age we teach our selves how to care for others and get the care feeling in us. Jennifer Pfeifer, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Oregon in Eugene, says, “the brain regions that support social cognition, which helps us understand and interact with others successfully, continue to change dramatically” (Shellenbarger, 2013). Some children develop affective and cognitive empathy earlier than others; each child has its own process. Parents can help instill affective empathy by encouraging children to walk in others’ shoes (Shellenbarger,
2013).
Boys also feel pressure from peers and some adults to “act like a man,” which they often define as being detached, tough, funny, and strong, says Rosalind Wiseman, Boulder, Colo., author of “Masterminds and Wingmen,” a new book about teen boys (Shellenbarger, 2013). Adolescents can shift moods rapidly, vacillating between happiness and distress and self-confidence and worry. Some of these mood changes stem from biological sources. Increased hormones and changes to the brain structure arise from normal physical growth. Also, complex social interactions such as conflicts with friends, school pressures and experimentation with romantic relationships can exacerbate the labile emotional state of adolescents. How our personality as well as our views changes as we grow is an interesting topic in human development. King (2013) noted in Experience Psychology that “development psychologists are interested in all the ways a person grows and changes throughout the time travel that is life, from its beginning to its inevitable end” (p.279).
This article has some topics that relates to chapter eight such as adolescence, cognitive skills, and how female and males mature at different ages. Brain changes influence behavior and behavior influences brain changes. Changes in the brain focus on the earlier development of the amygdala, which involves emotion, and the later development of the prefrontal cortex, which is concerned with reasoning and also decision making (King, 2013, p.289). Adolescence is a time when teenagers begin to explore and assert their personal identities. Usually around this period teenagers search where they fit in with peers. Sue Shellenbarger says, “In adolescence, critical social skills that are needed to feel concern for other people and understand how they think are undergoing major changes (2013). During this stage it is common for adolescents to have an unstable sense of self and try out new personal labels and associate with various peer groups. Just as I said earlier about how Ms. Burkinshaw’s son would not think about others and would always have an attitude. It is because he was unsure of where he belonged and at that age they only think about himself, but I am pretty sure as he grew older it would change.
Cognitive development refers to how thought, intelligence, and language processes change as people mature (King, 2013, p.294). Adolescence marks the beginning development of more complex thinking processes. Cognitive empathy arises from a different part of the brain, the medial prefrontal cortex, which continues developing later, through adolescence (Shellenbarger, 2013). This is basically what Piaget’s theory talk about; humans use schemas to make sense of their experience. In Piaget’s Theory adaptation is achieved through assimilation and accommodation. "Cognitive empathy," or the mental ability to take others ' perspective, begins rising steadily in girls at age 13, according to a six-year study published recently in Developmental Psychology. But boys don 't begin until age 15 to show gains in perspective taking, which helps in problem solving and avoiding conflict (Shellenbarger, 2013). Just like Piaget’s stage of formal operational stage. This is when the adolescent’s reasons in more abstract, idealistic, and logical ways. Kids who develop affective and cognitive empathy form healthy relationships and argue less with their parents, research shows (Shellenbarger, 2013).
Research on very young infants suggests the roles of genes and prenatal hormones in producing differences between the sexes (King, 2013, p.312). There is much overlap in the cognitive abilities of males and females. Infant girls have been found to gaze longer at visual stimuli than boys, and males are much more likely to be diagnosed with attention related problems. Just as in the article it shows how males and females mature at different paces. As I spoken earlier Jolien van der raff studied how adolescent males show a temporary decline in related skills, affective empathy, or ability to recognize others feelings (Shellenbarger, 2013). We always think that boys mature faster than girls; it’s really the other way around. Attention and perception, which occur at the earliest stages of information processing, appear to differ between the sexes and may ultimately provide some clues in regard to differences that occur later on in cognitive processing. Today, increasing evidence indicates that girls out-perform boys at all levels of schooling. From this perspective, differences in men’s and women’s career and life choices can be explained by differences in the availability of role models and beliefs about self-efficacy and personal control in these roles (King, 2013, p.314).
After living with my aunt and uncle, watching their kids grow up from a newborn. It’s amazing how the human developments I have learned now, explains so much I have seen with those two girls. Infant development has had some points that come out exactly right during that particular age and/or stage. Reflexes, motor and perceptual skills, and also brain changes are some of major development changes I have seen since they are still young. But every kid has his or her own unique pace of growing.
This is a very important topic for us to know because there are major unique stages in human development over a lifespan that makes it relevant to study each aspect. Each stage provides an insight that you can learn from whether its taking care of a child, decisions with yourself, and to also help elders. Haven’t we all been kids before as well? So wouldn’t learning more about how children develop help give additional vision in the person you’ve become? Also learning about human development will help you prepare the issues you may go through, as you grow older. Getting a better understanding of what is normal is another benefit of learning about this topic. You will have a good understanding on what is ordinary at specific ages and stages knowing about human development.
References
King, L. A. (2013). Experience Psychology. New York: McGraw-Hill
Shellenbarger, S. (2013, October 15). Teens Are Still Developing Empathy Skills. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304561004579137514122387446