Cognitive Development

Jean Piaget Cognitive Development Theory

Kinds of Knowledge physical knowledge logico-mathematical knowledge social knowledge

Constructivism children are active learners, not passive observers organize their knowledge into schemes schemes change through assimilation accommodation

Stages of Cognitive Development children’s schemes change over time cognition develops in stages, not gradually each stage builds on accomplishments of prior stage

Sensori-motor Stage ages birth – 2 years old infant uses senses and motor abilities to explore first explorations are innate reflexes goal-directed behaviors object permanence

Substages of Sensori-motor Stage 1st: (birth - 1 mo) innate reflexes, circular reactions 2nd: (1-4 mo) primary circular reactions 3rd: (4-8 mo) secondary circular

Substages of Sensori-motor Stage 4th: (8-12 mo) goal directed behavior object permanence 5th: (12-18 mo) tertiary circular 6th: (18-24 mo) Symbolic representation

Object permanence in 16 mo.

Preoperational Stage ages 2-7 child uses mental representations of objects play moves from using real objects to more complex play child’s thinking is perception-bound, egocentric, irreversible, centrated, intuitive, animistic

Categorization with 2.5 year olds

Concrete operations ages 7-11 child uses logical operations ability to conserve think flexibly seriate classify with more than 1 attribute and with hierarchical thinking

Conservation Tasks

Formal operations ages 12 and up child uses logical operations in a systematic fashion can think abstractly hypothetico-deductive thinking propositional thinking

Contributions of Piaget's Theories to Current Practice focus on active, hands-on learning play is important sensitivity to a child's current level of understanding acceptance of individual differences

Criticisms of Piaget's Ideas research methods Underestimated/overestimated the abilities of children didn't adequately consider the role of culture and experience in children’s undertaking of his tasks stage theory