Cognitive Development: Piaget’s Theory and Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Viewpoint

How we gain knowledge: Piaget’s Cognitive Processes Adaptation is an inborn tendency to adjust to the demands of the environment. Adaptation is an inborn tendency to adjust to the demands of the environment. –The goal of adaptation is to adjust to the environment; this occurs through assimilation and accommodation. Assimilation is the process of interpreting new experiences by incorporating them into existing schemes. Assimilation is the process of interpreting new experiences by incorporating them into existing schemes. Accommodation is the process of modifying existing schemes in order to incorporate or adapt to new experiences. Accommodation is the process of modifying existing schemes in order to incorporate or adapt to new experiences.

Piagetian Concept Example Equilibrium Toddler who has never seen anything fly but birds thinks that all flying objects are birds Assimilation Start Start Seeing an airplane flying prompts the child to call it a birdie Accommodation Child experiences conflict upon realizing that the new birdie has no feathers. Concludes it is not a bird and asks for the proper term or invents a name. Equilibrium restored Organization Finish Finish Forms hierarchal scheme consisting of a superordinate class (flying objects) and two subordinate classes (birdies and airplanes).

Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Perspective Sociocultural theory states that: Sociocultural theory states that: –Cognitive development occurs in a sociocultural context that influences the form it takes –Most of a child’s cognitive skills evolve from social interactions with parents, teachers, and other more competent associates

The role of culture in intellectual development: Vygotsky proposed that we should evaluate human development from four interrelated perspectives: Vygotsky proposed that we should evaluate human development from four interrelated perspectives: –Microgenetic-changes that occur over brief periods of time-minutes and seconds –Ontogenetic-development over a lifetime –Phylogenetic-development over evolutionary time –Sociohistorical- changes that have occurred in one's culture and the values, norms and technologies such a history has generated

Tools of intellectual adaptation Vygotsky ( /1978) proposed that infants are born with a few elementary mental functions – attention, sensation, perception and memory – that are eventually transformed by the culture into new and more sophisticated mental processes he called higher mental functions. Vygotsky ( /1978) proposed that infants are born with a few elementary mental functions – attention, sensation, perception and memory – that are eventually transformed by the culture into new and more sophisticated mental processes he called higher mental functions.

The Social Origins of Early Cognitive Competencies: Zone of Proximal Development range of tasks that are too complex to be mastered alone but can be accomplished with guidance and encouragement from a more skillful partner Zone of Proximal Development range of tasks that are too complex to be mastered alone but can be accomplished with guidance and encouragement from a more skillful partner –Scaffolding- the expert participant carefully tailors their support to the novice learner to assure their understanding

The role of language in cognitive development: According to Piaget: According to Piaget: –Children partake in egocentric speech, utterances neither directed to others nor expressed in ways that the listeners might understand –Egocentric speech played a little role in cognitive development –Speech tended to become more social as the child matures-less egocentric

The role of language in cognitive development cont’d According to Vygotsky: According to Vygotsky: –Thought and language eventually emerge –A child’s nonsocial utterances, which he termed private speech, illustrate the transition from paralinguistic to verbal reasoning – Private speech plays a major role in cognitive development by serving as a cognitive self-guidance system, allowing children to become more organized and good problem solvers –As individuals develop, private speech becomes inner speech

Theories of Cognitive Development: Vygotsky vs. Piaget Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory Piaget’s cognitive developmental theory Cognitive development varies across cultures Cognitive development is mostly universal across cultures Stems from social interactions Stems from independent explorations Social processes become individual-physiological processes Individual (egocentric) processes become social processes Adults are important as change agents Peers are important as change agents

Bell Ringer What do you think the most sung karaoke song is?

Erik Erikson: The Life- Span Approach

Psychosocial Stages of Personality Development 8 successive stages over the lifespan 8 successive stages over the lifespan Addresses bio, social, situational, personal influences Addresses bio, social, situational, personal influences Crisis: must adaptively or maladaptively cope with task in each developmental stage Crisis: must adaptively or maladaptively cope with task in each developmental stage –Respond adaptively: acquire strengths needed for next developmental stage –Respond maladaptively: less likely to be able to adapt to later problems Basic strengths: Motivating characteristics and beliefs that derive from successful resolution of crisis in each stage Basic strengths: Motivating characteristics and beliefs that derive from successful resolution of crisis in each stage

Stage 1: Basic Trust vs. Mistrust Birth to age 1 Birth to age 1 Totally dependent on others Totally dependent on others Caregiver meets needs: child develops trust Caregiver meets needs: child develops trust Caregiver does not meet needs: child develops mistrust Caregiver does not meet needs: child develops mistrust Basic strength: Hope Basic strength: Hope –Belief our desires will be satisfied –Feeling of confidence

Stage 2: Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt Ages 1-3 Ages 1-3 Child able to exercise some degree of choice Child able to exercise some degree of choice Child’s independence is thwarted: child develops feelings of self-doubt, shame in dealing with others Child’s independence is thwarted: child develops feelings of self-doubt, shame in dealing with others Basic Strength: Will Basic Strength: Will –Determination to exercise freedom of choice in face of society’s demands

Stage 3: Initiative vs. Guilt Ages 3-5 Ages 3-5 Child expresses desire to take initiative in activities Child expresses desire to take initiative in activities Parents punish child for initiative: child develops feelings of guilt that will affect self-directed activity throughout life Parents punish child for initiative: child develops feelings of guilt that will affect self-directed activity throughout life Basic strength: Purpose Basic strength: Purpose –Courage to envision and pursue goals

Stage 4: Industriousness vs. Inferiority Ages 6-11 Ages 6-11 Child develops cognitive abilities to enable in task completion (school work, play) Child develops cognitive abilities to enable in task completion (school work, play) Parents/teachers do not support child’s efforts: child develops feelings of inferiority and inadequacy Parents/teachers do not support child’s efforts: child develops feelings of inferiority and inadequacy Basci strength: Competence Basci strength: Competence –Exertion of skill and intelligence in pursuing and completing tasks

Stages as Developmentally Grouped Stages 1-4 Stages 1-4 –Largely determined by others (parents, teachers) Stages 5-8 Stages 5-8 –Individual has more control over environment –Individual responsibility for crisis resolution in each stage

Stage 5: Identity vs. Role Confusion Ages Ages Form ego identity: self-image Form ego identity: self-image Strong sense of identity: face adulthood with certainty and confidence Strong sense of identity: face adulthood with certainty and confidence Identity crisis: confusion of ego identity Identity crisis: confusion of ego identity Basic strength: Fidelity Basic strength: Fidelity –Emerges from cohesive ego identity –Sincerity, genuineness, sense of duty in relationships with others

Stage 6: Intimacy vs. Isolation Ages (approximately) Ages (approximately) Undertake productive work and establish intimate relationships Undertake productive work and establish intimate relationships Inability to establish intimacy leads to social isolation Inability to establish intimacy leads to social isolation Basic strength: Love Basic strength: Love –Mutual devotion in a shared identity –Fusing of oneself with another person

Stage 7: Generativity vs. Stagnation Ages (approximately) Ages (approximately) Generativity: Active involvement in teaching/guiding the next generation Generativity: Active involvement in teaching/guiding the next generation Stagnation involves not seeking outlets for generativity Stagnation involves not seeking outlets for generativity Basic strength: Care Basic strength: Care –Broad concern for others –Need to teach others

Stage 8: Ego Integrity vs. Despair Ages 55+ Ages 55+ Evaluation of entire life Evaluation of entire life Integrity: Look back with satisfaction Integrity: Look back with satisfaction Despair: Review with anger, frustration Despair: Review with anger, frustration Basic strength: Wisdom Basic strength: Wisdom –Detached concern with the whole of life Evidence of Ego Integrity vs. Despair Evidence of Ego Integrity vs. Despair Evidence of Ego Integrity Evidence of Ego Integrity

“Hurt” I hurt myself today to see if I still feel I focus on the pain the only thing that's real the needle tears a hole the old familiar sting try to kill it all away but I remember everything what have I become? my sweetest friend everyone I know goes away in the end and you could have it all my empire of dirt I hurt myself today to see if I still feel I focus on the pain the only thing that's real the needle tears a hole the old familiar sting try to kill it all away but I remember everything what have I become? my sweetest friend everyone I know goes away in the end and you could have it all my empire of dirt I wear this crown of thorns upon my liar's chair full of broken thoughts I cannot repair beneath the stains of time the feelings disappear you are someone else I am still right here I will let you down I will make you hurt if I could start again a million miles away I would keep myself I would find a way

Assessment in Erikson’s Theory Psychohistorical Analysis Psychohistorical Analysis –Application of lifespan theory to lives of historical figures Ex. Ghandi

Research in Erikson’s Theory Trust Trust –Early strong bonds with mother later were more curious, sociable and popular Identity Identity –Strong identity associated with greater cognitive and emotional functioning in college students –Crisis may begin later than age 12 –Continuing process over the lifespan

Research in Erikson’s Theory Generativity Generativity –Evokes need to feel closer to others –Correlated with extraversion, openness to new experiences –Likely to be involved in community, social relationships

Research in Erikson’s Theory Maturity Maturity –High ego integrity: spent much time reviewing their lives Ethnic Identity Ethnic Identity –Ethnic minorities: ethnic identity significant factor in determining sense of self

Contributions of Erikson Personality develops throughout the lifetime Personality develops throughout the lifetime Identity crisis in adolescence Identity crisis in adolescence Impact of social, cultural, personal and situational forces in forming personality Impact of social, cultural, personal and situational forces in forming personality

Criticisms of Erikson Ambiguous terms and concepts Ambiguous terms and concepts Lack of precision Lack of precision –Some terms are not easily measured empirically Experiences in stage may only apply to males Experiences in stage may only apply to males Identity crisis may only apply to those affluent enough to explore identities Identity crisis may only apply to those affluent enough to explore identities