PSYC 4070 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Egocentrism, Personal Fable, Identity Formation
Document Summary
During puberty, young people center on themselves, in part b/c maturation of the brain heightens self-consciousness. Adolescent egocentrism: thinking that leads young people ages. 10-13 to focus on themselves to the exclusion of others: first described by elkind, especially in teens with problems of delinquency, aggression, or eating disorders or when entering a new institution (middle school, high school, college) Egocentrism leads teens to think everyone else"s behavior as if it were a judgment on them. Acute self-consciousness more prevalent about physical appearance in ages 10-14 than any other time in life. Personal fable: an aspect of adolescent egocentrism characterized by an adolescent"s belief that his or her thoughts, feelings, & experiences are unique, more wonderful, or more awful than anyone else"s: ex. Some 12 year olds plan to star in the nba or be billionaires" or cure cancer. Despite adult warnings, teenagers reveal personal information to electronic friends. Sometimes egocentrism is blamed for every foolish act a teen takes.
