Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development and Situated Cognition

These flashcards cover key concepts from Piaget's theory of cognitive development and the situated cognition view.

Schemas

Concepts or mental molds that organize and interpret experiences.

Assimilation

The process of incorporating new information into existing schemas.

Accommodation

The process of modifying existing schemas to fit new information.

Disequilibrium

A state of discomfort that arises from encountering information that does not fit existing schemas.

Object Permanence

The awareness that objects continue to exist even when they are not perceived.

Sensory Motor Stage

Piaget's first stage of cognitive development from birth to about 2 years, focused on sensory experiences and motor activities.

Pre-Operational Stage

Piaget's second stage of cognitive development, from about ages 2 to 7, where children think symbolically but lack logical reasoning.

Egocentrism

The inability of pre-operational children to see a situation from another person's perspective.

Conservation

The understanding that certain properties of objects remain the same despite changes in their form.

Class Inclusion Problems

The ability to understand that one class can be part of a larger class.

Concrete Operational Stage

Piaget's third stage of cognitive development from ages 7 to 11, where children gain a better understanding of mental operations.

Formal Operational Stage

Piaget's fourth stage of cognitive development from age 12 and up, characterized by the ability to think abstractly and hypothetically.

Situated Cognition

The view that cognitive processes are influenced by the context and situations in which they occur.