2. Cog Dev

• Jean Piaget


  A Swiss psychologist who made significant contributions to the understanding of cognitive development in children

  
• Cognitive Development Theory


  Piaget's most widely known theory
• Piaget was fascinated by kids' thoughts & behavior, & worked to understand their cognitive development

  
• Piaget's achievements


  • Published first paper at 10
  • Earned his doctorate in natural sciences at 21
  • Began to study psychology, applying intelligence tests to school children

  
• Constructivism


  A theory that suggests learners actively construct their own knowledge and understanding of the world through their experiences and interactions
• Learning is an active process of construction rather than a passive assimilation of information or rote memorization
• Genetic epistemology


  Piaget's constructivist perspective that emphasizes the role of the learner in the learning process
• Equilibrium


  A state of cognitive balance or harmony where a person's existing cognitive structures (schemas) are capable of explaining and accommodating new information and experiences effectively
• Disequilibrium


  A state of imbalance or cognitive conflict that occurs when individuals encounter information or experiences that cannot be readily assimilated into their existing cognitive structures
• Equilibration


  Assimilation and Accommodation
• Assimilation


  The process by which individuals incorporate new information or experiences into their existing cognitive structures without changing those structures significantly
• Accommodation


  The process by which individuals modify their existing cognitive structures in response to new information that cannot be assimilated easily
• Piaget was not interested in applying his theory to school-based education, he called this "The American question"
• According to Piaget, we construct our learning regardless of how it is presented
• Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development


  • Sensory-motor (birth –2 years)
  • Preoperational (2-7)
  • Concrete operational (7-11)
  • Formal operations (12-15)

  
• Sensory-motor stage


  • Infants rely on sensory perceptions and motor actions to explore and understand the world
  • Develop object permanence
  • Exhibit stranger anxiety
  • Engage in simple imitation
  • Develop goal-directed behavior
  • Develop coordination
  • Begin language development
  • Engage in circular reactions

  
• Preoperational stage


  • Develop symbolic representation
  • Exhibit egocentrism
  • Exhibit animistic thinking
  • Struggle with centration
  • Lack conservation
  • Struggle with reversibility
  • Develop language skills
  • Engage in pretend play
  • Develop intuitive thought
• Concrete operational stage


  • Develop conservation
  • Develop reversibility
  • Develop decentration
  • Develop seriation
  • Develop classification
  • Develop spatial reasoning
  • Develop logical reasoning
  • Develop mental operations
  • Maintain concrete thinking
  • Develop social understanding
• Formal operational stage


  • Develop abstract thinking
  • Develop hypothetical reasoning
  • Develop scientific reasoning
  • Develop propositional thought
  • Develop combinatorial reasoning
  • Develop meta-cognition
  • Develop idealism and critique
  • Develop future orientation
  • Develop ability to handle contradictions
  • Apply cognitive abilities to real-world problems
• Development happens from one stage to another through interaction with the environment
• Changes from stage to stage may occur abruptly and kids will differ in how long they are in each stage
• Cognitive development can only happen after genetically controlled biological growth occurs
• Development leads to learning
• The drive for development is internal
• The child can only learn certain things when he/she is at the right developmental stage
• Environmental factors can influence but not direct development
• Development will happen naturally through regular interaction with social environment
• Problems with Piaget's Theory


  • Children often grasp ideas earlier than what Piaget found
  • Cognitive development across domains is inconsistent (e.g. better at reading than math)
  • Studies have shown that development can to some degree be accelerated