Piagets Theory of Development

Theory

there are four stages of development that every person goes through at the same time, in the same order

how is each stage characterized

by age and cognitive and thinking processes that become more sophisticated in each stage

Sensorimotor Intellignece

• between 0-2 years old

• experiences the world through immediate perception and senses

Object permanence

• developed by the end of sensorimotor

• the ability to understand that objects still exist even when they cannot be seen

Preoperational Though

• 2-7 years old

• child is capable of symbolic thought but intellectual capabilities are dominated by perception

Egocentrism

• occurs in preoperational stage

• children are unable to see situations from another persons perspective

Idea of Conservation

• developed by the end of preoperational thought

• Understanding that properties of objects stay the same despite changes in the form of the objects

Concrete Operational Thought

• 7-11 years old

• children gain a better understanding of mental operations and can think logically about concrete events.

Formal Operations

• 12 years and older

• the stage where individuals develop the ability to think abstractly, logically, and systematically.

Strengths

applications in many fields, set the bar for cognitive development

Limitations

sampling bias in studies, assumption of universal stage progression

Piaget and Inhelder AIm

to investigate the notion of egocentrism in children

P&I method

• children were shown a three dimensional display of a mountain scene

• at first they were asked to choose a photo that matched what they saw

• they were then asked to choose a photo that would match what a doll on the other side saw

P&I resutls

• everyone was able to answer the first question

• children below the age of seven coudl not choose a photo that represeented the other dolls perspective

Li Aim

To test Piagets theory of conservation

Li Method

• students were shown two simiarl glasses that had an equal amount of water and asked which hs more

• then on research changed one glass to a taller and skinnier glass and asked the same question

Li Results

• could answer the first question right

• accuracy increased with the second question as age increased