Cognitive & Moral

Jean Piaget

A psychologist known for his theory of cognitive development in children.

Sensorimotor Stage

The stage (birth-2 years) where infants learn through sensory experiences and actions.

Object Permanence

Understanding that objects continue to exist even when not seen.

Baby Mathematics

Infants’ ability to show rudimentary understanding of numbers.

Preoperational Stage

The stage (2-7 years) where children use language but lack logical reasoning.

Egocentric

Difficulty seeing things from another person’s perspective.

Pretend Play

Engaging in imaginative and symbolic play.

Concrete Operational Stage

The stage (7-11 years) where children develop logical thinking about concrete events.

Conservation

Understanding that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape or appearance.

Formal Operational Stage

The stage (12+ years) where abstract reasoning and logical thought develop.

Schemas

Mental frameworks used to represent objects, scenarios, or sequences of events or relations.

Metacognition

Awareness and understanding of one’s own thought processes.

Assimilation

Integrating new information into existing schemas.

Accommodation

Modifying schemas to fit new information.

Lawrence Kohlberg

A psychologist known for his theory of moral development.

Pre-Conventional Morality

Moral reasoning based on avoiding punishment or seeking rewards.

Conventional Morality

Moral reasoning based on social norms and laws.

Post-Conventional Morality

Moral reasoning based on personal ethical principles.

Criticisms of Kohlberg

Focuses on Western, male perspectives and overlooks cultural and gender differences.