Final answer:
According to Jean Piaget's theory, adolescents reach the formal operational stage of cognitive development, where they are capable of solving abstract problems in a logical fashion. This is the highest level of cognitive processing that develops from around age 11 and allows for advanced problem-solving and abstract reasoning.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cognitive Development in Adolescence
According to Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, by the time students reach adolescence, the highest thinking process they will most likely be capable of using is solving abstract problems in a logical fashion. This ability is part of what Piaget describes as the formal operational stage, which begins around age 11 and continues into adulthood. During this stage, adolescents develop the ability to think abstractly and hypothetically. They become capable of reasoning logically about abstract concepts such as freedom and justice, and can construct and consider hypothetical situations. This stage represents a significant advancement in cognitive skills from the earlier concrete operational stage, where logic is applied to physical, concrete objects and events only.
Formal operational thought allows adolescents to process complex ideas and solve problems by looking at alternative solutions and testing their ideas. They can consider multiple aspects of a scenario and are able to understand and engage in higher-level problem solving and reasoning. For instance, they can design, plan, and build structures, imagining the outcome of these activities before they have been carried out.
Piaget's theory also notes that while adolescents can now handle abstract thinking, there is further development into adulthood. Some researchers propose a postformal stage of cognitive development where logic is integrated with emotion and decisions are made based on context.