3.4 COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE LIFESPAN

Sensorimotor Stage

Piaget's first stage of cognitive development (birth to about age 2) when infants learn through sensory input and motor activity; object permanence develops during this stage.

Schemas

Mental frameworks used to organize and interpret information.

Assimilation

The process of adding new information into existing schemas without changing the schema.

Accommodation

The process of changing existing schemas to incorporate new information.

Egocentrism

The inability to see a situation from another person's point of view.

Object Permanence

The understanding that objects continue to exist even when they are not seen.

Conservation

The understanding that quantity remains the same even when the shape or appearance changes.

Preoperational Stage

Piaget's second stage (about ages 2-7) when children begin to use language and mental symbols but struggle with logical reasoning; features include animism, egocentrism, and difficulty with conservation and reversibility.

Animism

The belief, common in the preoperational stage, that inanimate objects have human feelings and intentions.

Reversibility

The understanding that objects can be changed and then returned to their original state.

Theory of Mind

The ability to understand that others have thoughts, feelings, and perspectives different from one's own.

Concrete Operational Stage

Piaget's third stage (about ages 7-11) when children begin to think logically about concrete events but have difficulty with abstract reasoning.

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

The range of tasks a learner can perform with guidance but not yet independently.

Formal Operational Stage

Piaget's fourth stage (beginning around age 12) when individuals gain the ability to think abstractly, systematically, and hypothetically.

Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory

A theory that emphasizes how social interaction and cultural context influence cognitive development.

Crystallized Intelligence

The ability to use knowledge and experience; tends to remain stable or improve with age.

Fluid Intelligence

The ability to think quickly and solve new problems without relying on prior knowledge; tends to decline with age.

Scaffolding

Support provided by more knowledgeable individuals that helps a learner complete tasks within their zone of proximal development.

Dementia

A group of cognitive disorders marked by memory loss, confusion, and decline in thinking skills, often occurring in older adulthood.