CHAPTER 4

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT - THOUGHT  JEAN PIAGET– Swiss psychologist “ children are active thinkers”  Child’s mind develops through stages  Brain builds concepts through experiences – SCHEMAS

TYPES OF SCHEMAS  ASSIMILATE– interpret new experiences & ideas in terms of current understanding or schema Ex: infant has new toy so she sucks on it b/c rooting reflex is schema  ACCOMMODATE– adjust to make sense of new experience Ex: infant learns toy will squeak when squeezed, so stops sucking it

PIAGET’S DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES  #1: SENSORIMOTOR (0-2 yrs.) – experiences are dictated by senses & actions – object permanence is learned  #2: PREOPERATIONAL (2-6/7 yrs.) – too young to perform certain mental operations  lack concept of conservation representational thought occurs

PIAGET’S DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES  #3: CONCRETE OPERATIONAL (6/7- 12 yrs.) – mastery of conservation, use & understand math, tangible objects & events can be explained & analyzed  #4: FORMAL OPERATIONAL (11/12- adult) – reasoning & able to handle abstract thinking, planning ahead, problem solving, hypothetical problems, considering outcomes, thinking things through, using logic

MORAL DEVELOPMENT – LAWRENCE KOHLBERG  STAGE 1: egocentric – cannot consider others so simply avoid getting caught (Pleasure vs. Pain)  STAGE 2: know what’s right even if don’t choose to do it, but try to receive reward & recognition (“An Eye for an Eye”)  STAGE 3: sincere sensitivity of others – gain acceptance from others – avoid disapproval of others (Good Child)

MORAL DEVELOPMENT – LAWRENCE KOHLBERG  STAGE 4: morality is truly important – what others think doesn’t matter – you know it’s right, so you do it (Law and Order)  STAGE 5: is the “right” decision fair & just – is law fair & just? – promote welfare (Social Contract)  STAGE 6: some ethics apply to everyone in every culture – i.e. “The Golden Rule” –can be ethnocentric to some degree (Ethical Principle)

PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT – SOCIAL SITUATIONS  Erik Erikson – German immigrant, Harvard Med. School professor  development is characterized by sequence of challenges that emerge at various stages in life & choices one makes

POSITIVE VS. NEGATIVE CHOICES  POSITIVE CHOICES  bring people closer together, elevate self-esteem, & reinforce self-identity  healthy foundation  NEGATIVE CHOICES  weaken social relationships, lower self-esteem  less happiness & more conflict  Crises challenge us to develop, grow & form new ideas