Lifespan Dev. Lecture 10: Cognitive Dev. in Infancy

Introduction to Developmental Psychology

• Key Figures in Developmental Psychology:

  • Eric Erikson: Focuses on socio-emotional development through the lifespan.

  • Jean Piaget: Pioneered understanding of cognitive development.

  • Information processing approach has evolved as a reaction to Piaget’s theories, focusing on how children process information.

Piaget vs. Information Processing Approach

• Piaget is considered the father of cognitive development but has fallen out of favor in some circles.

• While Piaget’s sequence of development is mostly accurate, he underestimated children's cognitive abilities, leading to a reevaluation of his theories.

• The information processing approach provides a more detailed and accurate understanding of cognitive development.

Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development

• Cognitive Schemes: Ideas about how the world works, built through interaction and experience.

• Equilibration: The process of balancing assimilation and accommodation to develop a better understanding of reality.

  • Assimilation: Integrating new information into existing schemas.

  • Accommodation: Modifying existing schemas to fit new information.

Stages of Cognitive Development

• Sensory-Motor Stage (Birth to 2 years):

  • Children learn through sensory experience and physical interaction.

  • Development occurs through circular reactions, where infants stumble upon new experiences and learn to reproduce them.

  • Example: A child accidentally spills yogurt and then tries to repeat it, enhancing their understanding of cause and effect.

Building Schemas in Infancy

• Infants and young children create cognitive schemas based on their physical interactions with the environment.

• Example of Schema Formation:

  • A child sees a Toyota Camry and learns it’s a "car."

  • When seeing a minivan, they might initially call it a "car" (assimilation).

  • When corrected, they must adjust their schema to recognize the minivan as a distinct category (accommodation).

Types and Organization of Schemas

• Schemas can be linked to create overarching categories, such as:

  • Specific schemas (e.g., car, minivan, pickup truck) can be organized into a broader schema (vehicle).

• This organization helps streamline cognitive processes and understanding.

Cognitive Development as Scientific Exploration

• Piagetian view emphasizes children as little scientists, who:

  • Construct theories about the world.

  • Test their hypotheses through exploration.

  • Revise their theories based on new experiences and information.

• This aligns closely with scientific methods in hypothesis testing.

Understanding Cognitive Research Methods

• Researching children's cognition:

  • Methods involve observing children’s behaviors and interactions in play to understand their cognitive schemas and developments.

  • Violation of Expectation Method: Measures infants' understanding of object permanence by gauging their reaction to unexpected outcomes.

• Example: Infants are habituated to a stimulus (e.g., dancing carrot) and tested with expected versus unexpected events, revealing their cognitive understanding.

Conclusion

• Piaget's approach provides a foundational understanding of cognitive development that emphasizes the role of interaction with the environment.

• His views on schemas, assimilation, and accommodation remain crucial as we study cognitive development and understand the evolution of cognitive theories.