Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development

Flashcards on Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development

What is cognitive development, according to Piaget?

The progressive changes that occur in human thinking, knowing, understanding, problem-solving, and information processing.

What is a schema (or schemata), according to Piaget?

A concept or framework that organizes and interprets information.

What is assimilation in Piaget's theory?

Applying existing mental patterns to new situations; fitting new situations into existing schemas.

What is accommodation in Piaget's theory?

Modifying existing mental patterns to fit new demands and accommodate new information or experiences.

What is equilibrium in Piaget's theory?

A state of balance between internal schemas and the external environment.

What is disequilibrium in Piaget's theory?

Occurs when new information conflicts with existing understanding, leading to a state of mental imbalance.

What are the key characteristics of the Sensorimotor stage (0-2 years)?

Uses senses and motor skills. Items known by use. Object permanence is learned.

What are the key characteristics of the Pre-operational stage (2-6 years)?

Symbolic thinking and language used. Characterized by egocentric thinking.

What are the key characteristics of the Concrete operational stage (7-11 years)?

Logic is applied. Objective/rational interpretations. Conservation, numbers, and classifications are understood.

What are the key characteristics of the Formal operational stage (12+ years)?

Thinks abstractly, using hypothetical ideas. Ethics, politics, and social/moral issues are explored.

What is object permanence?

Understanding that objects continue to exist even when out of sight.

What is egocentrism?

Inability to understand another person's perspective.

What is animism?

Belief that inanimate objects are alive and have feelings.

What is symbolic thinking?

The use of symbols to represent concepts.

What is centration?

The ability to focus on only one aspect of a situation at a time.

What is seriation?

The ability to arrange a collection of items in a logical series.

What is conservation?

The concept that mass, weight, and volume remain unchanged when the shape of objects changes.

What is abstract thinking?

Using the mind to visualize and consider complex concepts that are not tangible.

What is deductive reasoning?

Reasoning that begins with a general statement and examines possibilities to reach a specific conclusion.

What is inductive reasoning?

Reasoning that makes broad generalizations from specific observations.

According to Piaget's theory, what is the ideal way to guide intellectual development?

Providing experiences that are only slightly novel, unusual, or challenging.

What are criticisms of Piaget's theory?

Underestimated young minds, failed to distinguish between competence and performance, and gave insufficient attention to social influences.

According to Vygotsky, how do children's minds develop?

Children's minds develop through interactions with others, especially more competent peers and adults, within a socio-cultural context.

What did cross-cultural tests of Piaget find?

Cultural bias was suggested in Piaget’s tasks.