 Born in 1896, died in  He was an epistemologist who studied children’s intellectual development.  Developed a theory of cognitive development. “He posited that children progress through 4 stages and that they all do so in the same order” (Learning Theories Knowledgebase, 2010). It consists of four stages of intellectual development: Sensorimotor stage, Preoperational stage, Concrete Operational stage, and the Formal Operational stage.

 Schemes: actions or representations that organize knowledge.  Assimilation: use of existing schemes to deal with new information.  Accommodation: adjustment of schemes to take in new information.  Organization: groupings of behaviors and thoughts into a higher-order system.  Equilibration: moving from one stage of cognitive development to the next.

 Sensorimotor Stage.  Object Permanence: Is an object there?  Sensory Input: Touching a toy.  Motoric Action: protruding the tongue.

 Preoperational Stage.  Egocentrism: Is that you or me?  Intuitive Thought Substage: Let’s play 20 questions.  Centration: Piaget’s Conservation Task.

 Formal Operational Stage.  Abstract Thinking: Thinking about thought itself.  Logical Thinking: Does this make sense?  Idealistic Thinking: The world is perfect.  Hypothetical-deductive reasoning: creating a hypotheis, and deducing implications (testing it).

 Postformal thought.  Pragmatic thinking: Applying knowledge in their work.  Reflective/Relativistic thinking: Being able to view other perspectives and opinions (mutual respect).  Creativity: What can I invent?

 Fluid Intelligence: Abstract reasoning declines.  Crystalized Intelligence: a person’s accumulated information and verbal skills increases.

 Sensory/Motor: Declines with age.  Speed-of-Processing: Declines due to a decline in brain functioning.  Attention: Selected, Divided, or Sustained.  Memory: Health, education, and socioeconomic status affect this.  Wisdom: Expert knowledge about practical aspects of life.

 Kagan, J. (2008). In Defense of Qualitative Changes in Development. Child Development, 79(6), doi: /j x.  Learning Theories Knowledgebase (2010, October). Stage Theory of Cognitive Development (Piaget) at Learning-Theories.com. Retrieved October 20th, 2010 from theories.com/piagets-stage-theory-of-cognitive-development.html  Newkirk, Ella. (2008). Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory. Retrieved from Cognitive-Development-Theory  Psaltis, C., Duveen, G., & Perret-Clermont, A. (2009). The Social and the Psychological: Structure and Context in Intellectual Development. Human Development ( X), 52(5), doi: /  Santrock, John W. (2008). Essentials of Life-Span Development. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.