11

Cognitive DevelopmentCognitive Development

22

Piaget’s Theory of Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive DevelopmentCognitive Development

Jean Piaget (1896-1980) Swiss Jean Piaget (1896-1980) Swiss psychologist who became leading psychologist who became leading theorist in 1930’stheorist in 1930’s

These “understandings” are in the form These “understandings” are in the form of structures he called of structures he called schemasschemas

33

Development of SchemasDevelopment of Schemas

Assimilation - process of taking new Assimilation - process of taking new information or a new experience and information or a new experience and fitting it into an already existing schemafitting it into an already existing schema

Accommodation - process by which Accommodation - process by which existing schemas are changed or new existing schemas are changed or new schemas are created in order to fit new schemas are created in order to fit new informationinformation

44

Piaget’s approachPiaget’s approach

Methods-Methods- Discovered that children think in Discovered that children think in

radically different ways than adultsradically different ways than adults Stage TheoristStage Theorist

55

Sensorimotor Stage Sensorimotor Stage (birth - 2)(birth - 2)

Information is gained through the Information is gained through the senses and motor actionssenses and motor actions

In this stage child perceives and In this stage child perceives and manipulates but does not reasonmanipulates but does not reason

Symbols become internalized Symbols become internalized through language developmentthrough language development

66

Object PermanenceObject Permanence

The understanding that objects exist The understanding that objects exist independent of one’s actions or independent of one’s actions or perceptions of themperceptions of them

Acquired by 6 monthsAcquired by 6 months Can be surprised by disappearance / reappearance Can be surprised by disappearance / reappearance

of a face (peek-a-boo)of a face (peek-a-boo)

77

Preoperational Stage Preoperational Stage (2-7 years)(2-7 years)

Emergence of symbolic thoughtEmergence of symbolic thought Egocentrism- “ Does your sister have Egocentrism- “ Does your sister have

a sister”a sister” Lack the concept of conservationLack the concept of conservation AnimismAnimism

88

ConservationConservation

NumberNumber

In conservation of number tests, two equivalent rows of coins are placed side by side and the child says that there is the same number in each row. Then one row is spread apart and the child is again asked if there is the same number in each.

99

ConservationConservation

LengthLength

In conservation of length tests, two same-length sticks are placed side by side and the child says that they are the same length. Then one is moved and the child is again asked if they are the same length.

1010

ConservationConservation

Substance massSubstance mass

In conservation of substance tests, two identical amounts of clay are rolled into similar-appearing balls and the child says that they both have the same amount of clay. Then one ball is rolled out and the child is again asked if they have the same amount.

1111

Concrete Operational Stage Concrete Operational Stage (7-12 years)(7-12 years)

Understanding of mental operations Understanding of mental operations leading to increasingly logical thoughtleading to increasingly logical thought

Classification and categorizationClassification and categorization Less egocentricLess egocentric Inability to reason abstractly or Inability to reason abstractly or

hypotheticallyhypothetically

1212

Formal Operational Stage Formal Operational Stage (age 12 - adulthood)(age 12 - adulthood)

Hypothetical-deductive reasoningHypothetical-deductive reasoning Adolescent egocentrism illustrated Adolescent egocentrism illustrated

by the phenomenon of personal by the phenomenon of personal fable and imaginary audiencefable and imaginary audience

1313

Critique of Piaget’s TheoryCritique of Piaget’s Theory

Underestimates children’s abilitiesUnderestimates children’s abilities Underestimates the role of the social Underestimates the role of the social

environmentenvironment Lack of evidence for qualitatively Lack of evidence for qualitatively

different stagesdifferent stages

1414

Information-Processing Information-Processing PerspectivePerspective

Focuses on the mind as a system, Focuses on the mind as a system, analogous to a computer, for analyzing analogous to a computer, for analyzing information from the environmentinformation from the environment

Developmental improvements reflectDevelopmental improvements reflect increased memory, processingincreased memory, processing new methods, knowledgenew methods, knowledge

1515

Vygotsky’s Vygotsky’s Sociocultural PerspectiveSociocultural Perspective

Emphasized the child’s interaction with Emphasized the child’s interaction with the social world (other people) as a the social world (other people) as a cause of developmentcause of development

language was foundation for social language was foundation for social interaction and thoughtinteraction and thought

Piaget believed language was a Piaget believed language was a byproduct of thoughtbyproduct of thought

1616

Vygotsky’s Vygotsky’s Sociocultural PerspectiveSociocultural Perspective

Vygotsky - children learn from Vygotsky - children learn from interactions with other peopleinteractions with other people Zone of proximal development - what a child can Zone of proximal development - what a child can

do by interacting with another person, but can’t do do by interacting with another person, but can’t do alone.alone.