Theories of Cognitive Development

These flashcards cover key concepts and terms related to theories of cognitive development, focusing on Piaget's stages, Vygotsky's social influences, and cognitive changes across different life stages.

Cognitive Development

The theoretical explanations of how humans acquire the ability to learn, think, communicate, and remember over time.

Assimilation

The process of absorbing new knowledge into current knowledge structures.

Accommodation

The process of altering a belief to make it more compatible with experience.

Equilibration

The balance between experience of the world and thoughts about it, marked by cognitive change.

Sensorimotor Stage

The first stage of Piaget's theory, occurring from birth to 2 years, marked by immediate physical experiences.

Preoperational Stage

The stage from 2 to 7 years characterized by egocentrism and an inability to perform mental operations.

Concrete Operations Stage

The stage from 7 to 11 years where children can perform mental operations on concrete objects.

Formal Operations Stage

The final stage starting at 11 years, where individuals can perform hypothetical and abstract reasoning.

Zone of Proximal Development

The phase of learning when children can benefit from instruction but are not yet successful on their own.

Scaffolding

A method where parents structure learning environments and gradually remove assistance as children improve.

Theory of Mind

The capacity to understand that others' perspectives can differ from one's own.

Cognitive Function in Late Adulthood

Many cognitive aspects decline, but certain areas like vocabulary and recognition can remain stable or improve.

Cultural Bias in Developmental Theories

The criticism that some cognitive development theories are based on western-educated samples, possibly underestimating children’s competence.