1. Cognitive Development
Q1: Evaluate theories of cognitive development

2. Approach Intro Background- cognitive development
Thesis- evaluate command term
Body- strengths and limitations of each theory
Piaget- stages
Vygotsky- social and cultural factors
Neuroscience- biological factors
Conclusion- summarize key points

3. Introduction
Cognitive development-social, environmental and genetic influence
Maturation- the unfolding of behaviors that are genetically programmed
Learning-changes in behavior, thoughts, and feelings as a result of experience
Main debate- how these changes occur over time
Nature- effects of maturation
The unfolding of behaviors under the influence of genetic predisposition
Nurture- effects of the environment
Diet, parenting styles, culture, education
Thesis: Constructivist, social constructivist, and neuroscientific theories all contribute to the understanding of cognitive development

4. Jean Piaget’s theory (Constructivist)
Knowledge develops through schemas
Assimilation- new events fit existing schemas (doggie- poodle to doggie- terrier)
Accommodation-new events do not fit existing schemas and new knowledge is created (doggie to horse)
Born with innate schemas which are modifies through adaptation
Stages of development (universal)
Sensorimotor stage (0-2)
Pre-operational stage (2-7)
Concrete operational stage (7-11)
Formal operational stage (11+)

5. Sensorimotor Stage (0-2 years)
Lack of object permanence
Object permanence develops around 8 months, but incomplete
4 months- child will not look for object
8 months-child will look for object in the last place found even if hidden somewhere else
Development of full object permanence at around ages months

6. Pre-operational Stage (age 2-7)
Operations- logical mental rules but this stage, children can’t internalize these rules and still rely on appearances
Egocentrism – child can only see the world from own point of view (Mountain task)
Children lack conservation- the realization that objects can remain the same despite a change in appearance (demonstrated through conservation tasks of reversibility)
Classification limitation- inability to classify objects into the same groups (begins around age 4)

7. Elementary (gr. 2)- High School
Concrete operational stage (7-11)
Development of rules and schemas (operations) for how the (concrete) world is ordered
Development of conservation
Formal operational stages (11+)
Ideas and problems can be manipulated without concrete objects (abstract reasoning)
Imagination and role play
Reasoning
If A > B > C; A > C

8. Evaluation of Piaget Strengths Limitations
1st comprehensive theory of cognitive development
Evidence
Egocentrism: Mountain task and Policeman view experiment
Lack of Conservation : Conservation tasks
Application: Education and constructivism- children as actively engaged in understanding their world
Limitations
Criticism of ‘ages and stages’- findings based on interviews and observations
Less focus on social and cultural factors
Object permanence is more flexible than Piaget argued (Bower, 1982) and criticism of some conservation tasks (McGarrigle & Donaldson (1974)- may be demand characteristics)

9. Lev Vygotsky - Social Constructivist
Importance of social interaction, culture, language, instruction, and play in cognitive development
Children make sense of the world through shared meaning and language contributes to thought & understanding
Zone of proximal development- instruction from one more skilled in the task provided by scaffolding to bridge the gap between what one can do alone and what one can do with assitance
Strengths
Some evidence for the role of language in thought
Application in education (ZPD)
Limitations
Not all aspects of the theory are supported

10. Piaget- Innate maturation processes that drive cognitive development Vygotsky-Shared meaning with others communicated through language and interaction

11. Neuroscience and neuroplasticity
Synaptic growth most significant in the first year and growth continues throughout adolescence
Changes in brain structure
Chugani, 1999)- PET scans of newborns showed increased glucose metabolism in different regions over time-from brain stem and thalamus (reflexes) to higher level functioning such as frontal lobe development
Doubles in size from birth to young adulthood
Strengths
Similar to animal research (Rosensweig, 1972)
Application- importance of a healthy environment
Limitations
Correlational research- no cause and effect
Still many unanswered questions about cognition