Chapter 9: Cognitive Development

Early Childhood: Cognitive Development

Overview of Early Childhood Development

• Early childhood ranges from around age 2 to age 6, a crucial period for cognitive development.

Executive Function

• Defined as the cognitive ability to organize thoughts and prioritize tasks.

• Allows for anticipating, strategizing, and planning behavior.

• Comprises three essential abilities: memory, inhibition, and flexibility.

Children’s Theories

Theory-Theory

• Children develop theories to explain their observations and interactions with the world.

• They formulate beliefs about intentions, which precede their ability to imitate.

Theory of Mind

• Refers to understanding what others might be thinking.

• Generally develops around age 4 and is evident when children lie to evade punishment.

Influences on Cognitive Development

Brain Development & Context

• A child's theory of mind correlates with the maturity of the prefrontal cortex and executive processing.

• Both context and cultural backgrounds play significant roles in cognitive development.

Developmental Changes

• Reflects on the possibility of behavioral changes between ages 3 and 5.

Cognitive Thinking During Early Childhood

Piaget’s Preoperational Intelligence

• Highlights cognitive development stages between ages 2 and 6.

• Characterized by advancements in language and imagination, but logical operational thinking is limited.

Symbolic Thought

• A key accomplishment allowing children to understand words can refer to unseen objects or symbolize other concepts.

• Example: Beginning of animism, where children believe natural objects are alive.

Obstacles to Logical Thinking

Key Characteristics of Preoperational Thought

• Centration: Focusing on one aspect of a situation while ignoring others, often leading to egocentrism.

• Focus on Appearance: Ignoring attributes that are not immediately visible.

• Static Reasoning: Belief that things remain unchanged; whatever is now has always been.

• Irreversibility: Thinking that actions cannot be undone; once changed, a thing cannot return to its previous state.

Conservation Concepts

• Principle stating the quantity remains the same despite appearance changes.

• Young children struggle with conservation tasks due to their focus on appearance and immediate conditions.

Limitations in Piaget’s Research

• Piaget’s tasks relied heavily on language and words, potentially underestimating children’s capabilities in early cognitive development.

Vygotsky’s Social Learning Theory

Concept of Guided Participation

• Cognitive development is embedded within a social context with guidance from more knowledgeable individuals.

• Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD): Skills a child can perform only with help from others.

• Scaffolding: Temporary support tailored to a learner’s needs to help them master a task.

• Overimitation: Children often imitate irrelevant actions of adults during observational learning.

Language as a Tool for Cognitive Growth

• Language serves as a mediator between cognitive potential and comprehension and promotes executive function.

• The internal dialogue, or private speech, aids in self-regulation and understanding.

STEM Education and Early Learning

• Emphasizes the importance of early exposure to STEM-related concepts in fostering interest in science and technology vocations.

• Learning about numbers, shapes, and foundational principles begins as early as childhood.

Language Development

Early Childhood Language Acquisition

• Sensitive period for mastering vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.

• Average vocabulary grows from 500 words at age 2 to over 10,000 by age 6.

Vocabulary Explosion and Fast-Mapping

• Rapid acquisition of vocabulary with comprehension surpassing production.

• Fast-mapping: Quick and sometimes inaccurate association of new words to perceived meanings.

Logical Extension and Overregularization

• Logical extension: Using known words to describe new, similar objects.

• Overregularization: Applying grammar rules even when exceptions exist, making language seem overly regular.

Bilingualism in Early Childhood

• Bilingual children utilize the same brain areas for both languages; they often benefit from a dual-language environment.

• Balanced bilingualism allows fluency in both languages, influenced by adult interactions.

• Language Shift: occurs when a child becomes more fluent in the school language than their home language

Educational Approaches in Early Childhood

Quality of Educational Environments

• Quality impacts cognition and social skills; a poor home environment necessitates effective preschool programs.

• Teacher-child interaction is a significant factor in learning outcomes.

Types of Educational Programs

• Child-Centered Programs: Emphasize learning through play and personal exploration, influenced by Piaget and Vygotsky.

• Montessori and Reggio Emilia: Focus on individual creativity and hands-on learning.

• Teacher-Directed Programs: Focus more on academic instruction in a structured environment.

Intervention Programs and Long-Term Effects

Head Start Program

• Widely recognized early childhood education programs targeting low-income families.

• Initial success in raising intelligence metrics; concerns about lasting impacts over time.

Long-Term Outcomes of Early Intervention

• Strong evidence suggests effective early intervention programs yield lasting benefits, if they are intensive and involve skilled teachers.

• Examples of effective programs: Perry (High/Scope), Abecedarian, Child-Parent Centers.

Summary of Program Effectiveness

• 29% of 4-year-olds are enrolled in state-sponsored preschool; however, many children still lack early educational experiences.

• Increasing enrollment and decreasing funding impact the quality and type of education provided.