Cognitive Psychology
Unit 12 Overview: Cognitive Development
12.1 Piaget's Theory and Neo-Piagetian Approaches
12.2 Information Processing in Cognitive Development
12.3 Theory of Mind and Social Cognition Development
12.4 Cognitive Changes Across the Lifespan

🤔cognitive psychology review

12.1 Piaget's Theory and Neo-Piagetian Approaches

Last Updated on July 25, 2024

Piaget's theory of cognitive development outlines four stages children progress through as they grow. From birth to adulthood, kids move from basic sensory experiences to abstract thinking, developing crucial skills like object permanence and logical reasoning along the way.

Neo-Piagetian approaches build on Piaget's work, addressing limitations and incorporating new insights. These theories emphasize individual differences, the role of context, and information processing, offering a more nuanced view of how children's minds develop over time.

Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development

Stages of Piaget's cognitive theory

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  • Sensorimotor stage (birth to 2 years)
    • Object permanence develops gradually infants understand objects exist even when not visible
    • Reflexive behaviors evolve into goal-directed actions babies learn to grasp objects intentionally
  • Preoperational stage (2 to 7 years)
    • Symbolic thinking emerges children use mental representations (words, images) for objects and events
    • Egocentrism limits perspective-taking children struggle to see situations from others' viewpoints
    • Lack of conservation children fail to understand quantity remains same despite changes in appearance (water in different shaped glasses)
  • Concrete operational stage (7 to 11 years)
    • Logical thinking about concrete objects children can classify and order physical items
    • Conservation understanding develops children grasp that quantity remains constant despite changes in appearance
    • Classification and seriation skills improve children can sort objects by multiple attributes (color, size, shape)
  • Formal operational stage (11 years and older)
    • Abstract thinking emerges adolescents can reason about hypothetical scenarios
    • Hypothetical reasoning allows consideration of multiple possibilities in problem-solving
    • Systematic problem-solving develops ability to approach complex issues methodically

Processes in Piaget's theory

  • Assimilation
    • Incorporating new information into existing schemas child sees a zebra for the first time and calls it a horse
    • Interpreting experiences based on current understanding child applies known concept of "dog" to all four-legged animals
  • Accommodation
    • Modifying existing schemas to fit new information child learns zebras are distinct from horses, adjusts "horse" schema
    • Creating new schemas when necessary child encounters a platypus, forms new category for egg-laying mammals
  • Equilibration
    • Balance between assimilation and accommodation cognitive system seeks stability through adaptation
    • Cognitive conflict leads to equilibration child's belief about floating objects challenged by heavy ship floating
    • Drives cognitive development motivates learning and schema refinement through ongoing experiences

Neo-Piagetian Approaches and Critiques

Limitations of Piaget's theory

  • Underestimation of children's cognitive abilities recent research shows infants understand object permanence earlier than Piaget thought
  • Lack of consideration for cultural and social influences Piaget's theory assumes universal developmental patterns across cultures
  • Rigid stage boundaries overlooks individual differences and gradual transitions between stages

Piaget's theory vs neo-Piagetian approaches

  • Emphasis on individual differences
    • Piaget: Universal stages assumed all children progress through same sequence at similar rates
    • Neo-Piagetian: Variation in developmental trajectories acknowledges individual differences in cognitive growth
  • Role of context and experience
    • Piaget: Limited consideration focused primarily on biological maturation
    • Neo-Piagetian: Significant impact on development emphasizes how environment shapes cognitive abilities
  • Cognitive mechanisms
    • Piaget: General structures proposed broad cognitive abilities applied across domains
    • Neo-Piagetian: Domain-specific processes suggest different cognitive skills for various knowledge areas (math, language)
  • Developmental continuity
    • Piaget: Distinct stages proposed clear-cut transitions between cognitive levels
    • Neo-Piagetian: Gradual, continuous change views development as smoother progression
  • Information processing
    • Piaget: Not explicitly addressed focused on qualitative changes in thinking
    • Neo-Piagetian: Central to cognitive development theories emphasize working memory, attention, and processing speed
  • Neo-Piagetian approaches addressing limitations
    • Robbie Case: Focus on working memory capacity links cognitive development to information processing abilities
    • Kurt Fischer: Skill theory and dynamic systems emphasizes interaction between individual and environment
    • Annette Karmiloff-Smith: Representational redescription model proposes gradual refinement of mental representations

Key Terms to Review (21)

Executive Function: Executive function refers to a set of cognitive processes that are essential for controlling behavior, making decisions, and managing tasks. These processes include working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control, which enable individuals to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks effectively. Understanding executive function helps explain how people manage their thoughts and actions in various cognitive contexts.
Cross-Sectional Studies: Cross-sectional studies are research designs that collect data from a population, or a representative subset, at a single point in time. This method is particularly useful in examining the relationships between different variables within a specific group without manipulating any factors. By assessing various characteristics at once, researchers can gather insights into developmental trends, individual differences, and correlations among different age groups or cognitive stages.
Conservation: Conservation is the understanding that certain properties of objects, such as volume, mass, and number, remain the same even when their shape or arrangement changes. This concept is crucial in cognitive development and reflects a child's ability to perform operations mentally rather than just visually, indicating a significant shift from preoperational to concrete operational stages of development.
Information Processing Theory: Information Processing Theory is a cognitive framework that compares the human mind to a computer, suggesting that information is processed through a series of stages, including encoding, storage, and retrieval. This theory emphasizes how individuals perceive, analyze, and store information, which is crucial for understanding cognitive development and learning processes.
Reversibility: Reversibility is a cognitive ability that allows individuals to understand that certain processes or operations can be reversed, leading to the original state. This concept is a key element in cognitive development, as it signifies a child's ability to mentally perform actions backward, which is essential for logical reasoning and problem-solving.
Vygotskian Perspective: The Vygotskian perspective, based on the theories of Lev Vygotsky, emphasizes the fundamental role of social interaction and cultural context in cognitive development. It argues that learning is inherently a social process where individuals construct knowledge through their interactions with others, highlighting the importance of tools and language as mediators of thought.
Robbie Case: Robbie Case is a significant figure in developmental psychology known for his work related to Piaget's theory of cognitive development. He proposed the 'robustness' of cognitive structures and argued that children's reasoning abilities develop through specific stages, similar to Piaget's stages, but with a greater focus on the processes that underlie these cognitive transformations. His work emphasized the importance of understanding how children actively construct knowledge, blending insights from Piagetian theory with contemporary research on cognitive processes.
Donaldson: Donaldson refers to the work of Dr. Margaret Donaldson, a prominent cognitive psychologist who contributed significantly to the understanding of cognitive development, particularly in relation to and expanding upon Piaget's theory. Her research emphasizes the importance of social and cultural contexts in cognitive growth, highlighting how children's thinking evolves through interaction with their environment and others. This perspective aligns with the Neo-Piagetian approaches that seek to refine and build upon Piaget’s foundational ideas by integrating sociocultural influences.
Lev Vygotsky: Lev Vygotsky was a Russian psychologist known for his work in developmental psychology and the theory of sociocultural development. He emphasized the role of social interaction and culture in cognitive development, proposing that learning occurs through collaboration with more knowledgeable others. Vygotsky's ideas connect to theories of cognitive growth by suggesting that children's development is deeply influenced by their environment and the cultural tools available to them.
Decentration: Decentration is the cognitive process in which an individual shifts focus from a single aspect of a situation to multiple aspects, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding. This ability to consider various perspectives and dimensions is crucial in problem-solving and social interactions, particularly in cognitive development as outlined by Piaget's theory.
Hugh W. McGarrigle: Hugh W. McGarrigle is a prominent figure in cognitive psychology known for his contributions to understanding cognitive development, particularly in relation to Piaget's theories. His work has explored how children's thinking evolves through different stages, and he has provided insights into the complexities of cognitive processes that go beyond Piaget's original framework, influencing Neo-Piagetian approaches.
Jean Piaget: Jean Piaget was a Swiss psychologist known for his pioneering work in child development and cognitive psychology. He proposed that children progress through a series of stages of cognitive development, each characterized by different abilities and ways of thinking. His theories emphasize how children actively construct their understanding of the world, which is foundational to understanding cognitive development and has influenced modern approaches in education and psychology.
Accommodation: Accommodation is the cognitive process of adjusting one’s existing mental frameworks or schemas in response to new information that does not fit within those frameworks. This process is essential for learning and development, as it allows individuals to adapt their understanding of the world based on new experiences, leading to more complex and accurate mental representations.
Formal operational stage: The formal operational stage is the fourth and final stage in Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, occurring from around age 12 and onward. In this stage, individuals develop the ability to think abstractly, reason logically, and use deductive reasoning. This cognitive advancement allows for greater problem-solving abilities and the understanding of complex concepts, influencing not only academic performance but also social interactions and moral reasoning.
Equilibration: Equilibration is a cognitive process that refers to the balance between assimilation and accommodation in the development of knowledge. It is the mechanism through which individuals strive to achieve a stable understanding of the world, adapting their existing knowledge structures when confronted with new experiences or information that challenge their current beliefs. This balancing act is crucial in helping individuals progress through various stages of cognitive development, as outlined in developmental psychology theories.
Assimilation: Assimilation is the cognitive process of integrating new information into existing mental frameworks or schemas, allowing individuals to understand and interpret experiences in a way that aligns with their pre-existing knowledge. This process is essential for learning, as it enables the individual to make sense of new experiences by relating them to what they already know, thus facilitating the organization of knowledge within semantic networks and schemas.
Preoperational stage: The preoperational stage is a phase in cognitive development, according to Piaget, that occurs roughly between the ages of 2 and 7 years. During this stage, children begin to engage in symbolic play and learn to manipulate symbols, but they do not yet understand concrete logic or the concept of conservation. This stage is characterized by egocentrism, where children have difficulty seeing things from perspectives other than their own, and an inability to perform operations mentally, making them reliant on visual or physical cues.
Concrete operational stage: The concrete operational stage is a phase in cognitive development, identified by Jean Piaget, that typically occurs between the ages of 7 and 11 years. During this stage, children begin to think logically about concrete events and understand the concept of conservation, allowing them to perform operations mentally rather than through manipulation. This stage represents a significant leap from preoperational thinking, as children become more capable of organizing their thoughts and applying logical reasoning to real-world situations.
Sensorimotor stage: The sensorimotor stage is the first phase of cognitive development as proposed by Jean Piaget, occurring from birth to about two years old. During this stage, infants learn about the world primarily through their sensory experiences and motor actions, developing skills such as object permanence and symbolic thinking. This stage lays the foundation for subsequent cognitive development, influencing how children interact with their environment and process information.
Longitudinal Studies: Longitudinal studies are research methods that involve repeated observations of the same variables over a long period of time, often years or even decades. This approach allows researchers to track changes and developments in cognitive processes, behaviors, or conditions, providing valuable insights into how these elements evolve over time and the factors influencing such changes.
Metacognition: Metacognition refers to the awareness and understanding of one's own thought processes. It involves self-regulation and self-monitoring of cognition, enabling individuals to plan, assess, and evaluate their learning strategies and cognitive activities.