Development of Cognition and Language: Introduction

to Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development

EDU 330: Educational Psychology

Daniel Moos

Intellectual Development (I)

Assumptions of Piaget’s Theory

Stage theory Role of adults and children Schemes Intrinsic Activity; Constantly searching for

equilibrium based on prior experience/knowledge

Assumptions of Piaget’s Theory Intrinsic Activity; Constantly searching for

equilibrium…exampleRocky slowly got up from the mat, planning his escape. He hesitated and

thought. Things were not going well. What bothered him most was being held, especially since the charge against him had been weak. He considered his present situation. The lock that held him was strong but he thought he could break it. He knew, however, that his timing would have to be perfect. Rocky was aware that it was because of his early roughness that he been penalized so severely-much too severely from his point of view. The situation was becoming frustrating; the pressure had been grinding on him too long. Rocky was getting angry now. He felt he was ready to make his move. He knew his success or failure would depend on what he did in the next few seconds.

Summarize in two or three sentences….

Learning a result of disequilibriumAssimilationAccommodation

Practice: Mechanisms/processes in Piaget’s Theory

equilibrium; disequilibrium; accommodation; assimilation

You have learned to drive a car with an automatic transmission, and you’re very comfortable driving a variety of cars.

Then, you are asked to help a friend move, and your friend asks you to drive her car to her new location as she drives a moving truck. However, the car has a stick shift, and you’re very uncomfortable trying to drive it. Your friend helps you get started, and finally you’re able to manage and you’re now able to drive vehicles with both automatic transmissions and with stick shifts.

Sometime later, you help another friend move, and he has a pickup truck with a stick shift. Now, you’re able to comfortably drive the pickup truck.How might this process translate to

learning in the classroom?

Sensorimotor Stage ( birth - 2)

1. Sensorimotor Period (birth – 2) Motor reflexes Cognition progresses from the exercise of

reflexes Child coordinates them into increasingly long

chains of behavior By the end of this period, the child understands that

objects continue to exist even when they are not seen

Preoperational Stage (2 -7)

2. Preoperational Period (2 - 7) Begin to interact symbolically Vocabulary increases substantially Grammatical and sentence construction moves to

sentences

Limitations to this period:(1) Egocentricity(2) Perceptual Centration(3) Inability to conserve (4) Video Examples:

(1) Youtube (2) Casey

Concrete Operations (7 -11)

Achievements in Period:- Conservation understood- Empathy possible (Theory of Mind)

- Example from Casey (Video)

- More likely to obey logical rules.

For example, “Jane is taller than Kim and Kim is taller than Sue. Who is tallest?” (transitivity)

Formal Operations Period (11- onward)Achievements in Period: Change in Reasoning (Scientific reasoning)

Hypothetico-deductive reasoning (not restricted to previously acquired facts)

3x – 11 = 22 Thinking like a scientist (Inductive reasoning)

Children 11 and onward can generate hypotheses and systematically test them using experiments

Thinking about thinking Reflective abstraction: Acquire new information as a

result of internal reflection

Formal Operations Thinking: Example

What is my rule???

Trial 1: M Does this meet my rule: NoTrial 2: D Does this meet my rule: YesTrial 3: O Does this meet my rule: YesTrial 4: F Does this meet my rule: NoTrial 5: Z Does this meet my rule: NoTrial 6: B Does this meet my rule: YesTrial 7: I Does this meet my rule: NoTrial 8: X Does this meet my rule: NoTrial 9: R Does this meet my rule: YesTrial 10: P Does this meet my rule: YesTrial 11: C Does this meet my rule: YesTrial 12: A Does this meet my rule: NoTrial 13: K Does this meet my rule: NoTrial 14: S Does this meet my rule: Yes

Piaget Summary

Piaget: Cognitive Development

• Criticisms of Piaget’s Theory

Underestimating Children’s Capabilities

Overestimating Adolescents’ Capabilities

Vague Explanations for Cognitive Growth

Cultural Differences