4b. Piaget

Cognition

It is how we think about things, the way we understand the world → involves attention, memory, language, logic, problem-solving and decision making

Cognitive development theory

It looks at how our cognition develops over time by focussing on things like memory, problem solving, attention, concept formation wile not looking at social behaviour

Structure of cognitions

As we develop, we acquire cognitive structures which are mental representations or rules that we use to understand the world with the main cognitive structures being mental schemata and concepts

Schema

A mental representation of an action which includes the knowledge and experience we have acquired relating to that action

Concepts

Rules that describe the properties of environmental events and how they relate to other concepts

Assimilation

When a schema is adapted to other objects but it not changed (e.g. calling a cat a dog)

Equilibrium

The process of adapting schemata without any real change (steady condition)

Disquilibrium

Coming across an object for which the existing schema is a poor fit creates a state of disequilibrium

Accommodation

Process of changing an existing schema

4 stages of cognitive development

1. Sensorimotor → birth - 2 years = discovery of relations between sensation and motor behaviour

2. Preoperational → 2/3 years - 6/7 years = use of symbols to represent objects internally, especially through language

3. Concrete operations → 7 - 11 years = mastery of “logic” and development of rational thinking

4. Formal operations → 11 years onwards = development of abstract thinking and hypothetical reasoning

3 key claims of the theory of cognitive development

1. Each new stage derives from and improves upon the previous stage

2. Invarient sequence

3. Stages are universal

Sensorimotor period

• Children’s thinking is on a physical level

• Development of familiarity with objects through senses and own motor actions (e.g. sucking, grasping)

• Major characteristics → object permanence

Preoperational thought

• Thinking separates from movement and thinking capacity increases greatly in speed

• Children acquire verbal skills and are egocentric

• Evidence of thinking abstractly

• Centration → focusing on salient aspect of a situation

• Features → ability to use symbolism, egocentric and can’t engage in operations

Egocentrism

Child is unable to appreciate other people’s perspective → e.g. that other people see, think and act differently so seem selfish

Concrete operations

• Logical thinking

• Increasingly flexible thinking

• Child is able to infer others’ mental states (ToM)

• Child begins to grasp abstract concepts

• Understanding of conservation develops

Conservation

Recognising that some properties of objects remain fundamentally unchanged even if there are external (perceptual) changes in appearance

Formal operations

• Development into early adolescence

• Endpoint in terms of (major) development of structure

• Formal, abstract and rational thought, and hypothetical thinking

• Use of metaphors and analogies

• Exploring beliefs, values, philosophies

Methodological concerns

• Case studies

• Natural observations

  • Experimenter adapts to child’s responses

  • Inconsistency in questions and notes taken by experimenter during process

Object permanence

Children understand something continues to exist even if it is not perceptually visible

Criticisms → further research

Piaget underestimated object permanence as he suggested children need to be minimum of 8-9 months but other research found infants understand ibject permanence from 5 months old

Criticism of stage theory

There are individual differences and Vygotsky suggested the importance of instruction, importance of culture in symbolism

Scientific impact

• Highlighted need for studying children’s cognitive develop and emphasised constructivism with children contributing to their own development

• Instigated research → developmental psychology, cognitive revolution and moral reasoning

Applied impact

• Contributions to education

  • Findings led to more ‘child-centred’ approaches

  • More emphasis on peer interaction

• Used extensively today

  • Development of children’s moral reasoning

  • Speciesism and children’s development