Week 7 Cognitive Development in Children

Cognitive development

The evolution of thinking throughout the lifespan, involving advanced mental processes and foundational skills.

Piaget’s stage theory

The theory proposing a sequence of qualitatively distinct stages of cognitive development: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational.

Nature

The genetic endowment that influences all aspects of a child's development.

Nurture

The environmental influences that affect all aspects of children's development.

Sensorimotor stage

Piagetian stage from birth to 2 years, characterized by thinking through perception and physical interaction.

Object permanence

The understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen.

Preoperational reasoning stage

Piagetian stage from age 2 to 7 years, where children can represent objects but struggle with logical problems.

Concrete operations stage

Piagetian stage from age 7 to 12 where children can think logically about concrete situations.

Formal operations stage

Piagetian stage starting at age 12, where abstract reasoning like educated adults emerges.

Sociocultural theories

Theories emphasizing the influence of culture, social interactions, and beliefs on children's development.

Continuous development

A gradual, incremental approach to development, in contrast to sudden shifts.

Discontinuous development

Development characterized by sudden, qualitative changes, according to stage theories.

Phonemic awareness

The ability to identify and manipulate the sounds within words, crucial for reading success.

Conservation problems

Problems exploring whether the quantity remains the same after a physical transformation.

Numerical magnitudes

The sizes of numbers that represent quantities.

Depth perception

The ability to perceive the distance of objects in the environment.

Information processing theories

Theories that focus on the mental processes involved in thinking and cognitive growth over time.

Qualitative changes

Large, fundamental changes in development marking transitions between stages.

Quantitative changes

Gradual, incremental changes in development.

Chutes and Ladders

A numerical board game effective for enhancing numerical knowledge.

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

Vygotsky's concept describing the range of tasks too difficult for a child to master alone but that can be learned with guidance and assistance from more-skilled adults or peers.

Scaffolding

The temporary support that parents and teachers provide to children to help them master a task.

Core-Knowledge theories

Theories proposing that infants are born with rudimentary, innate knowledge systems, or core domains of thought, that guide their understanding of the world.