Cognitive Development

Stage Theory

emphasis on constructivism and adaptation, arguing that we build mental structures that help us adapt to the world

characterizing- how children think at different stages in development and how systematic changes in thinking occur

Scheme

actions or mental representations that organize knowledge

ex- babies suck, grasp kids- problem solve

adults- drive

Assimilation

Incorporating new information into existing knowledge

ex- toddles call all vehicles cars- not knowing difference like truck or motorcycle

Accommodation

adjust their schemes to fit new information and experiences

ex- overtime they understand difference between cars, motorcycle, trucks

Organization

grouping of isolated behaviors and thoughts into higher- order system

ex- develops idea for different tools, hammer, saw

Equilibration

resolution of cognitive conflict while shifting from one stage to another

ex- Repeated exposure to ’puzzles’ such as extra liquid left after changing containers, leads
to conservation of liquid.

Sensorimotor Stage

Birth to 2

establishing connections/ coordinating between sensory input and physical action- learning about physical world and what it constrains or allows

6 substages

Object permanence

understanding objects exist when they are not directly seen- babies think out of sight out of mind

gain skill around 3 ½ months

A not B error

An infant will search for a hidden object in a familiar location (A) rather than a new location (B)

infants tend to repeat motor behavior

may be an artifact of memory with distinct locations

Core Knowledge Approach

infants are born with domain- specific innate knowledge systems- innate perceptual and cognitive biases

ex- space, number sense, object permanence, language

Pre-operational stage

2-7

beginning of the ability to reconstruct in thought what has been established in behavior during sensorimotor

words, images, drawings begin to represent the world, stable concept are formed, mental reasoning emerges, egocentrism, magical beliefs

2 substages

Operations

internalized mental actions that allow children to do mentally before physically- reversible mental actions

Symbolic Function Substage 

gains ability to mentally represent an object that is not present

ex- pretend play

Egocentrism

inability to distinguish between ones one perspective and someone else’s perspective

Animism

belief that inanimate objects have life like qualities and are capable of action

Intuitive Thought Substage

begin to use primitive reasoning, want to know the answers to everything]

age of questions- trying to make sense of the world but still have trouble understanding events one cannot see 

can’t reflect on knowledge yet and don’t connect knowledge to its source

Centration 

focusing attention on one characteristic to the exclusion of all other

ex- focus on height of container and not the width

Conservation

realization that altering an objects substance appearance does not change its basic properties

4 to 7- fails conservation of liquid, number, length, volume, area

Concrete operational Stage

7 to 11

children perform concrete task/operations and logical reasoning can replace intuitive reasoning as long as the reasoning can be applied to specific or concrete examples

Horizontal decalage

similar abilities do not appear at the same time within a stage of development

For example, conservation of different dimensions occurs over time: number, length, liquid, mass, weight, volume, from more salient and visible to less so.

Seriation

concrete operation that involves ordering stimuli along quantitative dimension- length 

Transitivity

principle that says if a relation hold between a first object and second object and 2nd and 3rd object then the 1st and 3rd will too

Formal Operational Stage

11- 15 and through adulthood

abstract, logical, systematic, problem-solving, ideal circumstances, futuristic

Hypothetical deductive reasoning

adolescents have cognitive ability to develop hypotheses about ways to solve problems and can systematically deduce which is best path to follow in problem solving