Piaget’s Stage Theory of Cognitive Development Stage: Developmental period during which a child demonstrates “new” behaviors and capabilities

Cognitive Development Progress in child’s way of thinking, ability to reason, remember, and problem solve

How do we study cognitive development? Longitudinal studies: test one group of participants over a period of time Measure vocabulary of 50 six-year olds at ages 6, 8, 10 More accurate and sensitive to developmental changes Longer, more difficult, and more expensive The marshmallow test…. And future success

How do we study cognitive development? Cross-sectional studies: test and compare groups of participants of different ages at a single point in time Compare vocabulary of 50 six-year olds, 50 eight year olds, 50 ten year olds Quicker, easier and cheaper Less accurate and sensitive to developmental changes Jean Piaget

Piaget and his Theory “My real concern is the explanation of what is new in knowledge from one stage in development to the next.”

The Importance of Schemas Piaget argues that children are constantly developing new schemas in every stage (a mental framework that allows you interpret concepts or events) Schemas are what we already know about a topic.

The Importance of Schemas Schemas affect how children see the world in two ways: Assimilation: Make new information fit an existing schema Calling a zebra a “horse” Accommodation: Change existing schemas or create new ones Zebra is a different animal, so a new “zebra” schema is created Evidence of development

How do three year olds see the world differently than a ten year old? In Groups… How do three year olds see the world differently than a ten year old?

Stage 1: The Sensorimotor Period Birth to Age 2

Stage 1: Sensorimotor Period Develop schemas through senses and action Form mental images (favorite toy) Start to understand object permanence around 8 or 9 months “A-not-B error” committed until 12 months old

Stage 2: The Preoperational Period Ages 3-7

Stage 2: Preoperational Period Child uses language, but not concrete logic Development of symbolic thought Imagination and pretend Still does not understand conservation quantities remain the same despite change in shape or appearance

Stage 2: Preoperational Period (cont’d) Focus on constraints during this period: Centration Egocentricism Irreversability Animism Seriation

Stage 3: The Concrete Operational Period Ages 7-12

Concrete Operational Period Improved cognitive understanding of concrete objects/events only Capable of reversibility, decentration, hierarchical classification (roses = flowers) Problem-solving is trial and error Less egocentric Mastery of conservation

Stage 4: The Formal Operational Period Ages 12+

Formal Operational Period Understanding abstract concepts Deductive reasoning More systematic, logical, reflective in problem-solving

Our Piaget Kids Day

Criticisms of Piaget’s Theory Underestimated young children Individual differences Changes are too abrupt Ignorance of cultural factors

Did Piaget Underestimate Infants? Habituation: child is used to something (shows little surprise) Dishabituation: child shows obvious surprise or curiosity because he/she is seeing something new Kids understand object permanence at younger ages than Piaget thought Baby math

Infant shows habituation (lack of surprise) at this expected outcome Criticisms of Piaget Infant shows habituation (lack of surprise) at this expected outcome Infant shows dishabituation (surprise, stare longer) at this impossible outcome

Reflecting on Piaget’s Theory What are the implications of Piaget’s theory for parents and teachers? Children build understanding of the world through interaction Kids are not passive “buckets” waiting to be filled with a teacher’s knowledge! Young people are incapable of adult logic!