P IAGET ’ S T HEORY OF C OGNITIVE S TAGES How do children develop cognition (thinking, problem solving, memory)?

J EAN P IAGET Swiss Psychologist ( ) 1920s - studied the cognitive abilities of children, especially his own 3 kids Concentrated on the errors children make Explained how thought of a child is fundamentally different from adults Proposed 4 stages of development

C HILDHOOD A DAPTION As children develop, they must make mental adaptions as they observe and experience the world. A schema is a mental structure we use to organize and simplify our knowledge of the world around us. Assimilation – Fitting new knowledge into mental schemas. Cocker spaniel = dog Collie = dog Accommodation – The process of adjusting old schemas to fit new information and experiences. Cat  dog, must form new schemes for cat

F OUR S TAGES OF C OGNITIVE D EVELOPMENT S TAGE O NE – S ENSORIMOTOR S TAGE (birth – age 2) Concrete Actions – Infants use senses and motor abilities to learn: looking, touching, hearing, putting things in their mouth. Begin to show deliberate interaction with objects – grabbing, pushing Milestone: Object permanence – (Approx. 6 months) Knowledge that an object exists even when it is not in sight. Beginning of representational thought

S TAGE T WO – P REOPERATIONAL S TAGE (ages 2-7) Acceleration of the use of symbols and language Pretend Piaget described this stage in terms of what child cannot do: Operations- Mental actions that are reversible Egocentrism- Seeing the world only from your own point of view, not understanding other’s perspectives ure=related ure=related Conservation- Understanding that physical properties of objects can remain the same even when their form or appearance changes.

S TAGE T HREE - C ONCRETE O PERATIONAL (ages 7-12) Are capable of conservation, reversible thinking, and cause and effect Can order objects (smallest to largest, etc.) Understand nature of identity Girls, boys, sisters, brother Begin to think logically and rationally Question Santa Claus Limitation: Abstract thought Freedom, democracy, peace, justice

S TAGE F OUR - F ORMAL O PERATIONAL (age 12-adulthood) Capability of abstract, hypothetical reasoning Think about the future Ideas can be classified Can reason about situations they have not experienced – empathy &feature=bf_next&list=PL3A2A77133AAF0077

E VALUATING P IAGET 1. C HANGES FROM ONE STAGE TO ANOTHER ARE NOT CLEAR CUT Changes in thought are more continuous and gradual rather than jumping from one stage to another 2. C HILDREN UNDERSTAND FAR MORE THAN P IAGET GAVE THEM CREDIT FOR At 6 months, children can understand complex principles (physics) Object permanence can occur much earlier (2-3 months)

E VALUATING P IAGET 3. P RESCHOOLERS ARE NOT AS EGOCENTRIC AS P IAGET T HOUGHT Most 3-4 year olds can take another perspective When 4 year olds play with 2 year olds, they simplify their speech Young children understand when others are sad 4. C OGNITIVE D EVELOPMENT DEPENDS ON THE CHILD ’ S EDUCATION AND CULTURE Understanding of conservation depends on importance of quantity or numbers Some groups do not need to quantify things, conservation develops late, if at all; but excel at other tasks

E VALUATING P IAGET 5. J UST AS P IAGET UNDERESTIMATED THE COGNITIVE S KILLS OF YOUNG CHILDREN, HE OVERESTIMATED THOSE OF MANY ADULTS Not all adolescents and adults develop the ability for formal reasoning and reflective judgment Some lack the ability of abstract thought