Egocentric thinking

Thinking more about oneself than about others.

Adolescents become self-absorbed.

Imaginary audience

Thinking everyone is looking at oneself.

Adolescents are painfully self-conscious.

Personal fable

Seeing oneself as unique and powerful.

Adolescents’ belief in their abilities is inflated.

Social cognition

The ability to think about interpersonal relationships, to make sense of other people’s behavior.

Adolescents learn to manipulate the rules of social engagement.

Second-person perspective

The ability to see an event from someone else’s point of view.

Adolescents understand exclusion from the group is deliberate and intended to be hurtful.

Third-person perspective

The ability to observe oneself playing out a role in a social situation in relationship to others.

Adolescents scrutinize themselves.

Betrayal

When an understanding between two parties is violated.

Adolescents feel betrayed when they act in accordance with what they think are the rules of a relationship, and find that the other party did not.

Disillusionment

When an established social schema is proved false.

Adolescents learn their idols have flaws.