Early Cognitive Development

Jean Piaget 1896-1980 Highly influential Swiss developmental psychologist Suggested nature and nurture work together Searched for origins of intelligence in infancy and factors that lead to changes in knowledge over life span

Building Blocks of Cognitive Development Schemas used to understand world Generalizations based on experience that form basic units of knowledge Organize past experience, provide framework for understanding future experience Can apply to behaviors, mental symbols, mental activities

Building Blocks of Cognitive Development Adaptation of schema Assimilation Understand new experiences by fitting them within existing schema i.e. infants will use sucking behavioral schema to experience everything; children label many animals “doggy” Accommodation Process of modifying schemas to fit new experiences when familiar schema don’t work

Piaget’s Four Stages of Cognitive Development Believed child’s mind develops in series of stages

Sensorimotor Stage (Birth - 2 yrs.) Take in information through sensory and motor interactions – seem to live in present Before ~6 mo. seem to lack “object permanence” Lack awareness that objects continue to exist when not perceived (“out of sight, out of mind”) Begins developing by ~8 mo.

Sensorimotor Stage (Object Permanence)

Preoperational Stage (2 - 6 yrs.) Too young to perform mental operations Lack concept of “conservation” Principle that mass, volume, number are constant despite changes in form/shape May have difficulty distinguishing imagination/reality “Egocentrism” Inability to take another’s point of view Not intentionally “selfish” or “inconsiderate” Important period of language development

Preoperational Stage (Lack of Conservation) Why it matters in Real Life!

Preoperational Stage (Egocentrism) Why does the sun shine? “To keep me warm” Why is there snow? “For me to play in” Why is grass green? “Because it’s my favorite color.” How many brothers do you have? “One.” How many brothers does your brother have? “None.”

Concrete Operational Stage (7 – 11 yrs.) Begin to understand : Conservation Reversibility Mathematical operations Concrete analogies

Concrete (Reversibility)

Formal Operational Stage (12 – Adult) Abstract reasoning Can think of imagined reality, symbols Piaget believed this allowed for development of moral reasoning

Formal (Deductive Reasoning)

Current evaluation of Piaget’s theories Helped reshape the way we view children’s thinking and its development Challenged idea that children’s minds work like adults, but just know less information Many believe the sequence he outlined is fairly accurate But many now view cognitive development as more fluid and have evidence that some development happens earlier than Piaget believed

Lawrence Kohlberg and his stages of Morality MORAL DILEMMA ACTIVITY Preconventional Morality Conventional Morality Postconventional Morality

Preconventional Morality Morality of self- interest Their actions are either to avoid punishment or to gain rewards.

Conventional Morality Morality is based upon obeying laws to Maintain social order To gain social approval I won’t speed down Broad St. because my friends and family will look down on me. Besides, the world would be chaotic if everyone did it.

Postconventional Morality Morality based on universal ethical principles. I won’t speed down Broad St. b/c a society w/o laws is not good. If I feel the law is unjust then I’ll try to change it.