Question

How can I make an outline to describe to parent of adolescence how logic and decision making developments?I want to use this outline as a format to explain behavioral manifestations of decision making. I think it should include "informal reasoning". Thanks.

Answer 1

APPLYING DECISION THEORY TO ADOLESCENTS' PROBLEM BEHAVIORS

• BURNING QUESTIONS

  • Do teenagers see the options that adults see?
  • Do teenagers see the options as feasible for them?
  • Are teenagers predict the range of probabilities and magnitudes?

• CONSEQUENCES

  • Are teenagers aware of the consequences?
  • Do teenagers value what adults value?
  • Can teenagers predict their own future tastes?

• FACTS AND UNCERTAINTIES

  • Do teenagers know what the facts are?
  • Can teenagers appreciate the quality of their information?
  • Can teenagers appreciate the range of probabilities and magnitude?

• INTEGRATION

  • Can teenagers integrate multiple kinds of information?
  • Do teenagers know the rules for integration?
  • Do teenagers give disproportionate weight to particular considerations?

• SITUATION MANAGEMENT

  • Do teenagers control the situation in which choices can be made?
  • Can teenagers control themselves in risky situations?
  • Do teenagers short-circuit the decision-making process?

SPECULATIONS ABOUT ADOLESCENTS' DECISION MAKING

• OPTIONS

  • Teenagers think a lot about ways out of their dilemmas
  • Teenagers may lack the substantive knowledge needed to come up with options
  • Teenagers may lack the sense of control needed to create options

• CONSEQUENCES

  • Teenagers may get more benefit from some risk behaviours than adults do
  • Teenagers may discount future consequences more than adults do
  • Teenagers may fail to appreciate unfamiliar experiences

• FACTS AND UNCERTAINTIES

  • Teenagers know what they have had a chance to learn
  • Teenagers have a limited appreciation of the limits of their own knowledge
  • Teenagers have difficulty interpreting the meaning and credibility of information

• INTEGRATION

  • Teenagers may favour simpler decision rules than adults
  • Teenagers may have fewer examples of decision-making processes to follow than adults
  • Teenagers are no more likely than adults to think themselves invulnerable

• SITUATION MANAGEMENT

  • Teenagers lack control over critical aspects of their lives
  • Teenagers have control over situations they do not adequately understand
  • Teenagers may be more influenced by emotions than adults

Provided above is a decision framework suitable for adolescents. Adolescence is a time of radical growth in all the developmental phases of life including physical, emotional, cognitive and social and this phase needs to handled very carefully.