Brain & Cog Dvlpm 2

The Cognitive Development View: Piaget’s Theory

Believes that adolescents are motivated to understand their world bc doing so is biologically adaptive

Piaget’s Theory: Cognitive Process - Schema

a mental concept or framework that is useful in organizing and interpreting information

Ex of Schema

a dog has 4 legs

Piaget’s Theory: Cognitive Process - Assimilation

the incorporation of new information into existing knowledge

Ex of Assimilation

seeing a cat and thinking that, “A cat has 4 legs, so it fits my idea of animals with 4 legs”

Piaget’s Theory: Cognitive Process - Accommodation

the adjustment of a schema in response to new information

Ex of Accomodation

learning that cats and dogs are different animals, even though both have 4 legs

Piaget’s Theory: Cognitive Process - Equilibration

a shift that occurs as thought changes qualitatively by stage

Ex of Equilibration

realizing that cats and dogs can both have 4 legs but are still different types of animals

Cognitive Changes in Adulthood - Realistic and pragmatic thinking

emerging adults face the constraints of reality, their idealism decreases

Cognitive Changes in Adulthood - Reflective and relativistic thinking

Young adults move away from absolutist thinking as they become aware of diverse opinions and multiple perspectives.

Cognitive Changes in Adulthood - Cognition and emotion

Young adults become more aware that emotions influence their thinking

Wisdom is

expert knowledge about the practical aspects of life that permits excellent judgment about important matters

Sternberg believed that

wisdom should be taught in schools

The time frame of late adolescence, emerging adulthood, and early adulthood is the main age window for

wisdom to emerge

Vygotsky’s Theory views knowledge as

situated and collaborative

Vygotsky’s Theory: Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

Has a lower limit (working alone) and an upper limit (working with helps), ZPD is in the middle (just-right)

Vygotsky’s Theory: Social Constructivist Approach

Emphasizes the social contexts of learning and the construction of knowledge through social interaction.