Human Development Jean Piaget Cognitive Psychologist Theory of Cognitive Development cognitive abilities develop through four specific stages children actively construct knowledge as they explore and manipulate the world around them

Stage 1: Sensorimotor Stage (b-2 yrs) infants “think” by manipulating the world around them done by using all five senses: seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling Eg., pulling a block to see what happens Object permanence understanding that even if something is out of sight, it still exists deferred imitation - ability to reproduce or repeat a previously-witnessed action later on language

Preoperational Stage (2 to 7 yrs) children can use symbols to represent words, images, and ideas why children in this stage engage in pretend play Logical thinking is still not present Egocentric  unable to take on the perspective of others think that everyone sees, thinks, and feels just like they do

Concrete Operational Stage (7-11 yrs) child’s reasoning becomes focused and logical Conservation  ability to recognize that key properties of a substance do not change even as their physical appearance may be altered begin to organize objects by classes and subclasses - perform mathematical operations and understand transformations, such as addition is the opposite of subtraction and multiplication is the opposite of division

end of stage, child will develop true mental operations Reversibility - idea that something can be changed back to its original state after it has been altered (eg., pouring water back and forth between two differently shaped glasses and still having the same amount of water) Transitivity - concept of relation (eg., if A is related to B and B is related to C, then A must also be related to C) Assimilation - absorption of new ideas, information, or experiences into a person’s existing cognitive structure, or what they already know or understand of the world (adding new schemes into existing schemes)

Formal Operational Stage (11 - adult) develop the ability to think in abstract ways child engage in the problem-solving method of developing a hypothesis and reasoning their way to plausible solutions child can think of abstract concepts ability to combine various ideas to create new ones can create hypothetical ideas to explain various concepts.

Now we are almost ready for Kohlberg! Piaget believed starting about 10-11 yrs, children approach morality Young child regard rules as fixed and absolute (cannot change them) rules are handed down by adults or by God older child’s view is more relativistic understands that it is okay to change rules if everyone agrees Rules are not sacred and absolute but are tools humans use to get along cooperatively younger children base their moral judgments more on consequences older children base their judgments on intentions

Lawrence Kohlberg - Stages of Moral Reasoning Believed people progressed in their moral reasoning foundation for ethical behavior series of six identifiable stages that could be more generally classified into three levels progression through these stages was one stage at a time – NO SKIPPING stages Level 1 - Pre-Conventional (b-9) a. Obedience and punishment orientation b. Self-interest orientation  

Level 2 - Conventional (10 - adolescence) c. Interpersonal accord and conformity (a.k.a. The good boy/good girl attitude) d. Authority and social- order maintaining orientation (a.k.a. Law and order morality)   Level 3 - Post-Conventional (adulthood) e. Social contract orientation f. Universal ethical principles (a.k.a. Principled conscience)

Stage 1: Respect for power and punishment young child decides what to do--what is right--according to what he/she wants to do and can do without getting into trouble to be right, must be obedient to the people in power and, thus, avoid punishment Motto: “Might makes right.”

Stage 2: Looking out for #1 Child tend to be self-serving lack respect for the rights of others but may give “rights” to others on the assumption that they will get as much or more in return. No loyalty, gratitude, or justice Motto: “What’s in it for me?”

Stage 3: Being a “Good Boy” or “Nice Girl” People at this stage shift from pleasing themselves to pleasing important others (parents, teachers, or friends) seek approval and conform to someone else’s expectations when accused wrongdoing, reaction is likely to be “everyone else is doing it” or “I didn’t mean it” Motto: “I want to be nice.”

Stage 4: Law and order thinking By 16 years people generally have internalized society’s rules about how to behave feel obligated to conform see it as important to do one’s duty to maintain social order leaders are right individuals follow rules without considering the underlying ethical principles social control exercised through guilt associated with breaking a rule People at this stage believe that anyone breaking the rules deserves to be punished Motto: “I’ll do my duty”

Stage 5: Justice through democracy MOST People do not get here! recognize the underlying moral purposes of laws and social customs laws may be changed social contract that best serves the most people, while protecting the basic rights of everyone respect for the law and a sense of obligation to live by the rules, as long as they fulfill an ethical purpose only about 20-25% of today’s adults ever reach this stage Motto: “I’ll live by the rules or try to change them.”