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Related Concept Videos

Magical Thinking01:29

Magical Thinking

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Magical thinking encompasses the belief in assumptions that defy logical reasoning yet appear intuitively convincing. It is a common psychological phenomenon that persists across various cultural and individual contexts. While these assumptions contradict empirical evidence and scientific laws, they often serve meaningful psychological roles in promoting emotional resilience and a sense of control, especially under stress or uncertainty.Thought-Action Fusion and the Law of SimilarityA key...
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Cognitive Development During Adulthood01:30

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Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...
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Revisionist Views of Adolescent and Adult Cognition01:24

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A revisionist approach to Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development has brought new insights that challenge and reinterpret his established ideas. Piaget proposed that the formal operational stage, emerging in adolescence, represents the culmination of cognitive maturity. During this stage, individuals are said to develop abstract thinking, engage in systematic problem-solving, and show a form of egocentrism, believing others are as preoccupied with their behavior as they are...
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Piaget's Stage 4 of Cognitive Development01:19

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The formal operational stage, as described in Piaget's cognitive development theory, begins around age 11 and extends into adulthood. It marks the emergence of advanced cognitive abilities that differentiate adolescent and adult thinking from those of younger children. This stage is characterized by abstract reasoning, hypothetical-deductive reasoning, and a more complex understanding of self and others.
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Piaget's Stage 2 of Cognitive Development01:14

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The preoperational stage, the second of Jean Piaget's four stages of cognitive development, spans approximately ages 2 to 7 and is characterized by the emergence of symbolic thinking. During this stage, children use language, images, and symbols to represent objects and concepts, enabling them to engage in imaginative and pretend play. This symbolic thinking supports children's ability to perform make-believe actions, such as imagining a broom as a horse or their hand as a phone, blending...
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Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development emphasizes the role of thinking in a child's learning process, suggesting that children are naturally curious about their environment. His approach to development is discontinuous, proposing that cognitive abilities progress through distinct stages, each with unique characteristics. Central to Piaget's theory is schemata—mental structures that allow individuals to understand and interpret the world.
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Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
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Magical thinking decreases across adulthood.

Nadia M Brashier1, Kristi S Multhaup2

  • 1Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University.

Psychology and Aging
|December 15, 2017
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Magical thinking, or illogical causal reasoning, declines throughout adulthood. Contrary to popular belief, older adults demonstrate less magical thinking than younger adults, challenging common stereotypes.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Social Psychology

Background:

  • Magical thinking, characterized by illogical causal reasoning and superstitions, is known to decrease during childhood.
  • Limited research exists on the trajectory of magical thinking across the adult lifespan.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether magical thinking continues to decrease throughout adulthood.
  • To examine if this developmental trend persists into older age.

Main Methods:

  • Four experiments were conducted to assess magical thinking across different age groups.
  • Participants' judgments were analyzed in two distinct domains.
  • Explanations for observed patterns were explored, considering tolerance for ambiguity, domain-specific knowledge, and the search for meaning.

Main Results:

  • Magical thinking consistently decreased across adulthood in the experiments.
  • This pattern was observed across two different judgment domains.
  • The decline in magical thinking could not be attributed to age-related differences in ambiguity tolerance, knowledge, or meaning-seeking.

Conclusions:

  • Magical thinking shows a continuous decline throughout the adult lifespan.
  • Older adults exhibit less magical thinking than younger adults, contradicting common cultural beliefs and expectations.
  • Accumulated life experience may contribute to more rational judgment in older adults.