Psych: Piaget & Cognitive Development

Schema

A mental framework that organizes knowledge, such as "dog = four legs, fur, barks."

Assimilation

Fitting new experiences into an existing schema. A toddler calls a cow "doggie."

Accommodation

Changing a schema to fit new information. The toddler creates a new category: "cow."

Equilibration

children are active learners who balance assimilation and accommodation to make sense of their world.

Sensorimotor

(Birth – 2) Learns through senses and actions. Develops object permanence.

Preoperational

(2 – 7) Uses symbols and pretend play. Egocentric; lacks conservation.

Concrete Operational

Thinks logically about concrete events. Masters conservation.

Formal operational

(12+) Reasons abstractly and hypothetically. Tests ideas systematically.

Piaget + What holds up

Children actively construct knowledge. The general order of cognitive milestones. Influenced education: hands-on, discovery learning.

Piaget + What newer research shows

Infants know more, earlier: object knowledge by 3.5 – 4.5 months. Change is more gradual and uneven than strict stages. Culture and schooling shape which skills develop first. Many adults never use formal operations in every domain.