Theories of Cognitive Development: Piaget & Vygotsky

This set of flashcards covers key concepts, definitions, and explanations related to the theories of cognitive development as discussed in Piaget's and Vygotsky's works.

Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development

A framework that describes how children construct understanding of the world through stages, influenced by biological factors and experiences.

Accommodation

The process of altering a schema to fit new information from the environment.

Assimilation

The process of applying existing schemas to new experiences or information.

Sensorimotor Stage

The first stage in Piaget's theory, occurring from birth to 2 years, where knowledge is gained primarily through sensory and motor experiences.

Object Permanence

The understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen, developed in infants around 8-12 months.

Centration

The tendency to focus on one aspect of a situation while ignoring others, common in the preoperational stage.

Egocentrism

The inability to understand a perspective other than one's own, typically observed in preoperational children.

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

The range of tasks that children can perform with guidance but are not yet able to perform independently.

Cultural Tools

Artifacts, symbols, language, and strategies provided by culture that aid cognitive development.

Scaffolding

The support framework provided by a more knowledgeable individual to help a child learn new skills.