Cognition in Childhood and Adolescent Development

Introduction

Childhood and adolescent development is a complex topic that has many domains. Intelligence and cognition have been among the main areas of scholarly interest throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, although modern scholars also distinguish the developmental domains of motivation, social integration, and emotional involvement (Bergin & Allen, 2019). Attention and memory are two basic aspects of cognition, which are both considered constituents of intelligence. This paper aims to compare the two aspects of intellectual cognition – memory, and attention.

Attention is similar to memory in the way that both these domains work together and provide a basis for understanding and evaluating information. They are both only prerequisites for the result of gaining knowledge. No less interestingly, both these elements can be reinforced through individual or group training, such as meditation, and when the teacher applies specific comprehensive techniques of lecturing (“Attention in the classroom,” 2019). Well-thought-out visual materials and texts can also impact both the capacities of paying attention and memorizing information.

There are some differences between the two mentioned domains of human cognitive functions – attention and memory. First, unlike memory, attention depends on the intrinsic motivation of a learner, which in adolescents is generally determined by the questions “Can I do it?” and “Do I want to do it?” (Bergin & Allen, 2019, p. 498). The motivation for learning and for paying attention are different aspects, but they have a similarity in the learner’s interest. At the same time, memory is a result of paying attention, since a learner cannot remember the information, they are not focusing on it (Panichello & Buschman, 2021). Importantly, attention is the way to conscious understanding, but it is not the conscience itself, it is rather a process of focusing on something.

Thus, the two aspects of intellectual cognition – memory and attention were compared. These two aspects are similar in terms of their role in acquiring new knowledge, being important constituents of other functional processes like thinking, analyzing, and categorizing information. Both memory and attention can be enhanced through various individual and group practices, guided by a teacher or self-performed. Memory and attention are different in their structure, as attention is a process of focusing, while memory is a capacity to store information.

Aspects of Cognition: Attention and Memory

Intelligence generally develops at a faster pace in adolescents than in primary school children. The teenagers experience peaking cognitive ability in comprehending new information and still develop working memory and knowledge (Bergin & Allen, 2019, p. 628). Memory is an inherent aspect in most cognitive operations, and, together with the ability to focus or pay attention, forms the learning capacity, which is also impacted by the ability to analyze, practically, and creatively apply the information. This paper aims to analyze and discuss the attention and memory aspects of cognition.

Definitions

There are plenty of definitions for attention and memory, given from psychological, biological, and educational perspectives. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary determines attention as “the act or state of applying the mind to something,” “a condition of readiness involving a selective narrowing or focusing of consciousness and receptivity,” and “consideration with a view to action” (“Attention,” n.d., para. 2). At the same time, memory is defined as “the power or process of reproducing or recalling what has been learned and retained, especially through associative mechanisms”, and “the store of things learned and retained from an organism’s activity or experience as evidenced by modification of structure or behavior or by recall and recognition” (“Memory,” n.d., para. 3). It is also defined as “a particular act of recall or recollection,” “an image or impression,” and “capacity for storing information” in technical devices (“Memory,” n.d., para. 4). These definitions imply some similarities shared by the two aspects of cognition.

Similarities and Differences

To begin with, both attention and memory are related to cognition and are its critical, basic components. Although attention is a process and memory is a capability, they both have the potential for improved learning functionality. Therefore, teachers may gain specific skills and competencies to work with these two aspects of cognition, improving and stimulating them by training and through the specific presentation of the learning material.

There are functional differences in how memory and attention work. Memory is obtained through distinguishing new and known elements, updating the information for the former, and memorizing the new elements if they were determined as worthy of interest. The brain also then decides whether the new information is worth retaining to be remembered later, so this information should be important for some reason. Interestingly, human memory is not restricted to a specific brain area, it is contained in the connections between the synapses in the brain cells that cover all the brain areas (“Memory: definition, functioning”, 2022). There are five types of interconnected systems of memory – working or short-time dedicated to the present, allowing to perform tasks automatically, perceptual which retains sensory impressions, is subconscious and is a part of automation of human functioning like getting home ‘by memory’ (“Memory: definition, functioning”, 2022). Then, there is episodic memory which gathers events of life, and semantic, dedicated to knowledge and language.

Then, the attention is mainly concerned with selecting the things that are necessary at the given moment, while also filtering the unnecessary information and distractions. This ability is important in the classroom environment, as it allows for remembering things. Attention also works as switching from one source of information to another, and sometimes at a rather high speed (“Attention in the classroom,” 2019). The complex tasks of selection and switching are closely related to interest, which can be motivated by using specific techniques like mentioning a person’s name and making things more relevant, bright, loud, close, quiet, or otherwise emotionally charged.

How Social Contexts Impact Child Development and Learning

As the human brain and the whole nervous system are very sensitive, younger children and adolescents may have individual differences like anxiety, and depression, and conditions such as ADHD and Autistic Spectrum Disorder can impact the learning process. There are also mind conditions that limit humans in memorizing information. The learning difficulties related to mental conditions are sometimes perceived with prejudice in the school environment (Young et al., 2019). These conditions can also lead to some challenges in adjusting to educational requirements.

Intelligence tests such as IQ tests are another social context that can distort the educational reality if implemented without adequate understanding. Bergin and Allen (2019) suggest that intelligence should not be seen as a limited capacity, but rather as a function. The scholars also emphasize the existence of analytical, creative, and practical intelligence, while tests mainly focus on measuring merely analytical skills. Following are the definitions of eight types of intelligence: linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, naturalist, interpersonal, and intrapersonal (Bergin & Allen, 2019). Understanding this attribution can help teachers be more inclusive and tolerant regarding individual diversity in intelligence.

Making Evidence-Based Decisions to Support Children

Hence, determining the specific educational needs of children and being critical to systems of intelligence assessment is good for providing proper support for every child in the classroom. The teacher should also cope with memory-related and attention-related problems and limitations. Attention can be improved by minimizing distractions such as mobile phones and outside noise and encouraging the maintained focus (“Attention in the classroom,” 2019). The latter can be done through enforcing routines, forming good study habits, such as sitting straight, taking turns, and asking questions, encouraging contemplating practices like yoga and mindfulness, and chunking lessons into smaller, manageable components.

Conclusion

Thus, the attention and memory aspects of cognition were discussed and analyzed. Memory and attention are complex processes that have limitations that could be overcome through evidence-based practice. No less importantly, competent educational practice should consider the social contexts that impact children’s development. Some health-related mind conditions such as ADHD, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, and adverse emotional states like anxiety, and depression, require close teacher attention.

References

Attention (n.d.). Merriam Webster Dictionary. Web.

Attention in the classroom (2019). The Emotional Learner. Web.

Bergin, C. C., & Bergin, D. A. (2019). Child and Adolescent Development in Your Classroom, Chronological Approach. Cengage Learning.

Memory (n.d.). Merriam Webster Dictionary. Web.

Memory: definition, functioning (2022). For Care Education and Research. Web.

Young, R. E., Goldberg, J. O., Struthers, C. W., McCann, D., & Phills, C. E. (2019). The subtle side of stigma: Understanding and reducing mental illness stigma from a contemporary prejudice perspective. Journal of Social Issues, 75(3), 943-971.