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Cognitive Theories
Cognitive Theories of Development
Focuses on the mental aspect of development, such as logic and memory.
Concerned with the development of a person's thought processes (Boyd & Bee, 2019).
Piaget's Stages of Development
Overview
Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget described 4 stages of intellectual development in children.
These stages detail how children learn to understand and relate to the world around them (Liefer & Fleck, 2021).
Recommended video on Piaget’s stages: YouTube Link (Sprouts, 2018).
Piaget's Four Stages
Stage | Age | Cognitive Milestones |
|---|---|---|
Sensorimotor | Birth to 2 years | Gains understanding of object permanence and cause and effect; understands time of day. |
Preoperational | 2–7 years | Attributes life to inanimate objects; believes they are the center of the world; sees only obvious. Develops language skills and uses pretend play. |
Concrete Operations | 7–11 years | Can understand multiple pieces of information simultaneously; has a realistic understanding of the world; focuses on the present. |
Formal Operations | Adolescence | Thinks abstractly and hypothetically; understands symbols; is future-oriented. Recognizes scientific theories and moral rules influenced by cultural practices. (Liefer & Fleck, 2021) |
Piaget's Cognitive Theory
Emphasizes a child's sensory and motor interactions with their environment.
Example: A child playing with blocks demonstrates these interactions at different ages.
Information Processing Theory
Overview
This theory posits that information from the environment is inputted, processed, and then outputted in terms of judgments and decision-making (Liefer & Fleck, 2021).
Uses the analogy of the human brain as a computer (Gross, 2020).
Memory Process Components
Key processes in memory include:
Encoding: The initial learning of information.
Storage: Maintaining information over time.
Retrieval: Accessing and using the stored information (Gross, 2020).
Language and Culture Theories
Vygotsky's Theory
Unlike Piaget, Vygotsky theorized that complex thinking originates from social interactions (Boyd & Bee, 2014).
Language significantly impacts the growth and development of personality (Liefer & Fleck, 2021).
Recommended video on Vygotsky’s theory: YouTube Link.
Vygotsky's Language and Development Theory
Age | Verbal Ability | Adult Response |
|---|---|---|
Infant | Cries and coos | Parents respond with comfort and toys to stimulate responses. |
Toddler | Points to objects | Adults name and define the objects pointed to. |
Preschool 3 years | Speaks to self during play | Parents may or may not engage; at 4 years, uses inner speech to guide behavior. |
School Age | Engages in speech and social interactions | Parents foster independence and understanding of reality (Liefer & Fleck, 2021). |
Zones of Proximal Development
A framework illustrating what a learner can do independently versus with guidance.
References
Boyd, D.G. & Bee, H.L. (2014). The Developing Child. 13th ed. Pearson.
Boyd, D.R. & Bee, H.L. (2019). Lifespan Development. Pearson.
Gross, R. (2020). Psychology. Hodder Education Group.
Leifer, G. & Fleck, E. (2021). Growth and Development Across the Lifespan. Elsevier.
Munakata, Y. (2006). Information Processing approaches to Cognitive Development. In W. Damon et al. (Eds.), Handbook of Child Psychology. John Wiley & Sons.
Sprouts (2018). Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development. YouTube.
Sprouts (2020). Vygotsky's Theory of Cognitive Development in Social Relationships. YouTube.