PSYCH-190 Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: Myelin, Psych, Synaptogenesis
16 Dec 2020
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Document Summary
Until recently, little research had been conducted on developmental changes in the brain during adolescence. An increasing number of studies are now under way. Note that the adolescent"s brain is different from the child"s brain and that the brain continues to develop in adolescence. Researchers now focus primarily on the context-inducing plasticity of the brain over time. That view of the brain, however, turned out to be wrong; it is now clear that the brain has plasticity, and its development depends on context. In the neuroconstructivist view: biological processes and environmental experiences influence the brain"s development, the brain has plasticity and is context dependent, development of the brain is linked closely with cognitive development. These factors constrain or advance the construction of cognitive skills. Neurons, or nerve cells, are the nervous system"s basic units. Piaget"s is the best-known, most widely discussed theory of adolescent cognitive development.
