His Mission… Piaget wanted to find out how intelligence, or the ability to understand, developed during childhood. How did he do it? –Observing, questioning, and playing games with babies and young children

Our understanding of the world begins with mental representations. Assimilation –We try to fit new information or experiences into preexisting schemas to help us understand. Accommodation –We have to change our schema to fit the characteristics of the new information. –When events do not fit into existing schemas, new ones must be created

A young child’s world only consists of what he or she can see or touch If he or she cannot see or feel it, it does NOT exist Permanence –A child’s realization that an object exists even when he or she cannot see or touch it. Objects and people are now independent of the child.

Between the ages of 5 and 7, children generally make another step in understanding the world. Before this age, when the appearance of an object has changed, children believe the quantity of the object must have changed as well. When children understand the principle of CONSERVATION, they realize that the quantity doesn’t have to change just because the appearance has changed. Children have a tough time with this concept because they are EGOCENTRIC –Seeing and thinking of the world from your own standpoint and having difficulty seeing other perspectives

4 stages of Cognitive Development –Sensorimotor (Birth-1½) Use schemas that primarily involve the body and sensations –Preoperational (1½ -7 yrs.) Child begins to use mental images or symbols to understand things. –Concrete Operations (7-11 yrs.) Use logical schemas, but their understanding is limited to concrete objects or problems. –Formal Operations (11-Adulthood) Being able to solve abstract problems

As we grow older, not only does our understanding of the world develop, but our emotional attachment to people develops as well. Imprinting –Inherited tendencies or responses when new stimuli in the environment is encountered. (Goslings) Critical Period –A time in development when one is best able to learn a skill or behavior. (13-16 hours for geese)

The Mother/Child Attachment Infants begin to form their attachment with the mother around 6 months of age and develops through age 3. Disrupting the attachment process can be very disturbing to children Separation Anxiety –A sudden separation from his/her mother results in anxious feelings within the child Secure Attachment –Balance the need to explore and the need to be close. Ok with mommy leaving, but will welcome her back with open arms. Avoidant Attachment –Upset that mommy left and will ignore her when she returns Resistant Attachment –Ok with mommy leaving, but reject her when she returns