Powerpoint Chapter 6

Cognition

The activity of knowing and the processes through which knowledge is acquired and problems are solved.

Piaget's Constructivist Theory

Theory that describes cognitive development as a progressive reorganization of mental processes resulting from biological maturation and environmental experience.

Zone of Proximal Development

The gap between what a learner can accomplish independently and what they can accomplish with the guidance and encouragement of a more-skilled partner.

Assimilation

The process by which we interpret new experiences in terms of existing schemes or cognitive structures.

Accommodation

The process of modifying existing schemes to better fit new experiences.

Object Permanence

The fundamental understanding that objects are permanent when they are no longer visible, which develops gradually over the sensorimotor period.

Centration

The tendency to center attention on a single aspect of a problem, characteristic of preoperational thinkers.

Conservation

The idea that certain properties of an object or substance do not change when its appearance is altered in some superficial way.

Egocentrism

The tendency to view the world solely from one’s own perspective and to have difficulty recognizing other points of view.

Hypothetical-Deductive Reasoning

Reasoning from general ideas or rules to their specific implications, characteristic of formal-operational thought.

Neoconstructivism

Theory suggesting that new knowledge is constructed through changes in the neural structures of the brain in response to experiences.

Transformational Thought

The ability to conceptualize transformations, or processes of change from one state to another.

Private Speech

Speech to oneself that guides one’s thought and behavior, important for cognitive development.

Scaffolding

The support given during the learning process, tailored to the needs of the learner with the intention of helping them achieve higher levels of understanding and skill.

Postformal Thought

A stage of cognitive development that is more complex than formal-operational stage, involving relativistic and dialectical thinking.