Cognitive Development Throughout Childhood

Cognitive Development in Infancy

• Birth to 2 years old

• Begins to develop simple sentences

• Learns behaviours through classical and operant conditioning, and observing models

• Learn about the world through their senses and motor actions (sensorimotor stage)

• Infants as young as 3 months can remember objects and actions for up to a week

• Develop schematic learning which enables them to distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar stimuli

Cognitive Development in Early Childhood

• Ages 3-6 years old

• Develops into the preoperational stage which involves using symbols in thinking and communication

• Thinks of the world one variable at a time (centration) and has difficulty seeing others perspectives (egocentrism).

• More complex sentences

• Developed theory of mind (others actions are based on their own ideas)

Cognitive Development in Middle Childhood

• Ages 7-11 years old

• Develops concrete operational stage which involves thinking logically about events and objects in the real world

• By age 5 or 6, grammar and pronunciation of their first language is virtually mastered

• More complete and complex sentences

• Ability to solve simple problems

• More socially and emotionally advances

Cognitive Development in Adolescence

• Ages 12-18 years old

• Advanced information processing in most individuals

• Teens become more proficient in metacognition and metamemory

• Operational stage of development reached including ability to think logically about abstract ideas

• Develops formal operational stage

Similarities and differences between the childhood stages of development

Similarities Differences

• All age groups have ways to test

intelligence

• Each stage has significant

behavioural change or learning

curve

• Each stage identifies the major

concepts of the stage (i.e. language,

memory, information processing)

• Different stages of Piaget’s level of

development based on age

• Language is more complex as you

age in childhood

• Ability to understand others and

the real world differs

What are the Positive Components of Piaget’s Stages of Development?

• Focuses on qualitative development and had an impact on education

• Many educational programs are developed on his theory and taught at

which the level they are developmentally prepared

• A number of instructional strategies have been produced him Piaget’s

theory including:

- supportive environment

- utilizing social interactions and peer teaching

- helping children with learning disabilities

What are the Flaws of Piaget’s Stages of Development?

• Piaget insisted that all stages of development are reached and cannot be skipped

• Piaget reports that each stage of development happens within his time frame he set on each stage, while Erikson argues that developmental change is continual

Infancy and Attachment

• The majority of parents manage to respond to their infant in

sensitive ways that enhance the development of a close

relationship

• The father and mother interact differently with the infant, but the

infant is dependent on both

• Attachment behaviours include:

- stranger anxiety

- separation anxiety

- social referencing

Effects on Toddler Cognitive Development in Daycare Settings

• High quality cognitively enriched

daycares have beneficial effects on

children’s overall cognitive development

• Coupled with insensitive mothering,

insecure attachment is amplified by the

child

• Insecure attachment: avoiding or ignoring

the caregiver and showing little emotion

when they depart or return

Theory of Mind in Early Childhood

• Age 3: understands some aspects of the link between people’s thinking, feelings, and behaviour

• Age 4: basic principle that each person’s actions are based on his or her representation of reality

• Ages 4-5: cannot understand that other people can think of them

• Ages 5-7: understand the reciprocal nature of thought

How Does an Infant Begin to Learn a Language?

• Phonological awareness: a child’s understanding of the sounds patterns of the language

• Things that facilitate in an infant learning a language are:

- Nursery rhymes

- Games involving repetitive words

What are Some Intelligence Tests Performed on Children?

• Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children (WISC-IV)

- Verbal comprehension index

- Perceptual reasoning index

- Working memory index

- Processing speed index

• Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon created the first intelligence test

(IQ Test)

Is This Relevant to Me Personally?

• Yes it is! Being a former gymnastics instructor, a part time nanny, and future

registered nurse, knowing how children behave is crucial to satisfying their needs

of daily living as well as:

• To better understand and predict the behaviours of children, and what is

appropriate behaviour for their age

• To keep them happy and entertain them in ways that are suitable for their

cognitive abilities

Will I use this information in my professional life?

• I will use this information in my professional life as a registered nurse as I am wanting to work in pediatrics

• Whether or not I work in pediatrics or another unit, children will likely be involved in some way and being able to relate to them and know how they are cognitively developed will help when explaining procedures to them

References

Boyd, D., Johnson, P., Bee, H. (2015). Lifespan Development. (5th Canadian

ed.). Toronto, ON: Prentice Hall Canada Inc.

http://psychology.about.com/od/piagetstheory/p/piagetcriticism.htm