Transcendent Thought Supports Brain Development
A study conducted at the University of Southern California (USC) has revealed that “transcendent” thought, identified as a developmental characteristic of adolescence, can promote brain development in teenagers. Known also as transcendent thought, this type of thinking goes beyond immediate situations to analyze the broader ethical, systemic, and personal meanings and implications, becoming a subject of increasing research interest in recent years.
The study, carried out by Professor Mary Helen Immordino-Yang and her team at USC’s Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning, and Education (CANDLE), demonstrated that transcendent thought activates multiple brain systems, particularly the executive control network, which governs focused thinking, and the default mode network, related to more abstract thought processes.
The research involved interviewing 65 high school students aged 14-18 about real-life stories and analyzing their responses through fMRI brain scans initially and two years later. Follow-ups over the next three years showed that all participants exhibited some level of transcendent thinking, but those who engaged more deeply in the broader implications of the stories experienced increased coordination between brain networks over time.
The study emphasizes that transcendent thinking requires the integration of networks related to focused and reflective thinking, suggesting that this type of thought also promotes brain growth. Researcher Immordino-Yang highlighted the significance of these findings for educational design and adolescent mental health. She stressed the importance of engaging teenagers in complex perspectives and emotions on socially and personally relevant topics, noting that the meanings adolescents derive from the social world also play a crucial role in their brain development.