Cognitive Development

I. Foundations of Cognitive Development

Definitions:

  • Cognition: Mental processes for acquiring, storing, and using knowledge

  • Cognitive Development: Study of how children learn to think, communicate, and remember

Key Theorists:

  1. Jean Piaget (1896-1980)

    • Children actively construct knowledge through interaction

    • Concepts:

      • Assimilation (incorporating new info into existing schemas)

      • Accommodation (modifying schemas for new info)

    • Stage theory with qualitative changes:

      • Sensorimotor (0-2 yrs)

      • Preoperational (2-7 yrs)

      • Concrete Operational (7-11 yrs)

      • Formal Operational (11+ yrs)

II. Core Cognitive Concepts

  1. Object Permanence

    • Piaget: Emerges at 8-12 months (A-not-B task)

    • Baillargeon's research: Evidence in infants as young as 3.5 months (violation of expectation paradigm)

  2. Number Concepts

    • Conservation tasks show gradual development

    • Wynn (1992): 5-month-olds demonstrate basic numerical understanding

  3. Person Concepts

    • Egocentrism (Piaget's 3-mountain problem)

    • Theory of Mind:

      • Understanding others' distinct mental states

      • False belief task milestones (typically passed by age 4-5)

      • Explanations for failures: egocentrism, inhibitory control, language demands

III. Higher-Order Cognition

Executive Function (EF):

  • Goal-directed cognitive control processes

  • Includes:

    • Working memory

    • Cognitive flexibility (set-shifting)

    • Inhibitory control

  • Develops throughout childhood and adolescence

Adolescent Cognition:

  • Prefrontal cortex maturation continues

  • Increased risk-taking in social/reward contexts (Chein et al., 2011)

IV. Sociocultural Perspective (Vygotsky)

  • Social interaction drives cognitive development

  • Key concepts:

    • Zone of proximal development

    • Scaffolding

    • Importance of play and language

  • Contrasts with Piaget's individual exploration focus

V. Current Research Directions (UMN ICD)

  1. Early bias formation (racial/gender)

  2. Source credibility in children

  3. EF's role in life outcomes

  4. Experience effects on brain development (prematurity, trauma, substance use)

  5. Motivation-cognition interactions