Week 9, post 1

Week 9 post 1

I thought David Elkind’s adolescent egocentrism was very interesting. Egocentrism is a characteristic of adolescent thinking that makes one focus on themselves. What I thought was interesting is that developmentalists believe egocentrism may signal growth toward cognitive maturity. Self-awareness is lacking in childhood, until maturation of the brain heightens self-consciousness around the age of 10-13. In egocentrism adolescents become convinced that everybody’s attention is directed towards them. Egocentric adolescents believe their actions and appearance are under scrutiny and watchful eyes of their peers, parents, and strangers. This is a time of limited ability to see things from other’s perspectives. I think egocentrism is important for the development of self-concept and identity in this world. I think egocentrism is extended beyond the teen years. It's like a survival tactic.