Piaget's theory of cognitive development posits that adolescents develop formal operational thinking, allowing them to think more abstractly. Formal operations involve proportional, relativistic, and hypothetical thinking. Adolescents can also use deductive logic and think about abstract concepts. Their problem-solving skills become more systematic. While girls often feel more confident in reading and social skills, boys tend to feel more confident in athletics and math. Adults can help adolescents make better decisions by expanding their options and weighing consequences, and by helping them understand how emotions affect thinking. Moral development occurs through modeling caring behavior, perspective-taking, and community volunteering.