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Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development: A Comprehensive Overview, Lecture notes of Cognitive Psychology

Piaget's theory of cognitive development suggests that children move through four different stages of mental development

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Educational Psychology Interactive: Cognitive Development
Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development
Citation: Huitt, W., & Hummel, J. (2003). Piaget's theory of cognitive development. Educational Psychology lnteractive.
Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University.
Jean Piaget (I 896-1980) was one of the most influential researchers in the area of developmental
psychology during the 20th century. Piaget originally trained in the areas ofbiology and philosophy and
considered himself a "genetic el).istemologist." He was mainly interested in the biologica] influences on
"how we come to know." He believed that what distinguishes human beings from other animals is our
ability to do "abstract symbolic reasoning." Piaget's views are often compared with those ofLev
.'{ygQtsky_( 1896-1934), who look ed more to socia! interaction as the primary source of cognition and __
behavior. This is somewhat similar to the distinctions made between Freud and Erikson in terms of the
development ofpersonality. The writings of Piaget (e.g., 1972, 1990; see Piaget, Gruber, & Voneche)
and Vygotsk)'. (e.g. Vygotsky, 1986; Vygotsky & Vygotsky, 1980), along with the work of Iohn Ds:wey
(e.g., Dewey, 1997a, 1997b), Jerome Bruner (e.g., 1966, 1974) and Ulrick Neisser (1967) form the basis
of the constructivist theory of learning and instruction.
While working in Binet's IQ test !ab in Paris, Piaget became interested in how children think. He noticed
that young children's answers were qualitatively different than older children which suggested to him
that the younger ones were not dumber (a quantitative position since as they got older and had more
experiences they would get smarter) but, instead, answered the questions differently than their older
peers because they thought differently.
There are _two major aspects to his theQiy: the process of coming to know and the stages we move
through as we gradually acquire this ability.
Process of Cognitive Development. As a biologist, Piaget was interested in how an organism adapts to
its environment (Piaget described as intelligence.) Behavior (adaptation to the enviromnent) is
controlled through menta! organizations called schemes that the individuai uses to represent the world
and designate action. This adaptation is driven by a biologica! drive to obtain balance between schemes
and the environment ( equilibration).
Piaget hypothesized that infants are bom with schemes operating at birth that he called "reflexes." In
other animals, these reflexes contro! behavior throughout !ife. However, in human beings as the infant
uses these reflexes to adapt to the enviromnent, these reflexes are quickly replaced with constructed
schemes.
Piaget described two processes used by the individuai in its attempt to adapt: assimilation and
accomodation. Both of these processes are used thciughout !ife as the person increasingly adapts to the
enviromnent in a more complex manner.
Assimilati on is the process of using or transforming the environment so that it can be placed in
preexisting cognitive structures. Accomodation is the process of changing cognitive structures in order
to accept something from the environment. Both processes are used simultaneously and altemately
throughout !ife. An example of assimilation would be when an infant uses a sucking schema that was
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  • (^) Educational Psychology Interactive: Cognitive Development

Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development

Citation: Huitt, W., & Hummel, J. (2003). Piaget's theory of cognitive development. Educational Psychology lnteractive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University.

Jean Piaget (I 896-1980) was one of the most influential researchers in the area of developmental psychology during the 20th century. Piaget originally trained in the areas ofbiology and philosophy and considered himself a "genetic el).istemologist." He was mainly interested in the biologica] influences on "how we come to know." He believed that what distinguishes human beings from other animals is our ability to do "abstract symbolic reasoning." Piaget's views are often compared with those ofLev .'{ygQtsky_( 1896-1934), who looked more to socia! interaction as the primary source of cognition and __ behavior. This is somewhat similar to the distinctions made between Freud and Erikson in terms of the development ofpersonality. The writings ofPiaget (e.g., 1972, 1990; see Piaget, Gruber, & Voneche) and Vygotsk)'. (e.g. Vygotsky, 1986; Vygotsky & Vygotsky, 1980), along with the work ofIohn Ds:wey (e.g., Dewey, 1997a, 1997b), Jerome Bruner (e.g., 1966, 1974) and Ulrick Neisser (1967) form the basis ofthe constructivist theory of learning and instruction.

While working in Binet's IQ test !ab in Paris, Piaget became interested in how children think. He noticed that young children's answers were qualitatively different than older children which suggested to him that the younger ones were not dumber (a quantitative position since as they got older and had more experiences they would get smarter) but, instead, answered the questions differently than their older peers because they thought differently.

There are _two major aspects to his theQiy: the process of coming to know and the stages we move through as we gradually acquire this ability.

Process of Cognitive Development. As a biologist, Piaget was interested in how an organism adapts to its environment (Piaget described as intelligence.) Behavior (adaptation to the enviromnent) is controlled through menta! organizations called schemes that the individuai uses to represent the world and designate action. This adaptation is driven by a biologica! drive to obtain balance between schemes and the environment (equilibration).

Piaget hypothesized that infants are bom with schemes operating at birth that he called "reflexes." In other animals, these reflexes contro! behavior throughout !ife. However, in human beings as the infant uses these reflexes to adapt to the enviromnent, these reflexes are quickly replaced with constructed schemes.

Piaget described two processes used by the individuai in its attempt to adapt: assimilation and accomodation. Both of these processes are used thciughout !ife as the person increasingly adapts to the enviromnent in a more complex manner.

Assimilation is the process ofusing or transforming the environment so that it can be placed in preexisting cognitive structures. Accomodation is the process of changing cognitive structures in order to accept something from the environment. Both processes are used simultaneously and altemately throughout !ife. An example of assimilation would be when an infant uses a sucking schema that was

· Educational Psychology Interactive: Cognitive Development

developed by sucking on a small bottle when attempting to suck on a larger bottle. An example of accomodation would be when the child needs to modify a sucking schema developed by sucking on a pacifier to one that would be successful for sucking on a bottle.

As schemes become increasingly more complex (i.e., responsible for more compi ex behaviors) they are termed structures. As one's structures become more complex, they are organized in a hierarchical manner (i.e., from generai to specific).

Stages of Cognitive Development. Piaget identified four stages in cognitive development:

1. Sensorimotor stage^ (Infancy). In this period (which has 6 stages), intelligence is demonstrated through motor activity without the use of symbols. Knowledge of the world is limited (but developing) because its based on physical interactions / experiences. Children acquire object permanence at about 7 months of age (memory). Physical development (mobility) allows the child to begin developing new intellectual abilities. Some symbollic (language) abilities are developed at the end ofthis stage.

  1. Pre-operational stage (Toddler and Early Childhood). In this period (which has two substages), intelligence is demonstrated through the use of symbols, language use matures, and memory and imagination are developed, but thinking is done in a nonlogical, nonreversable manner. Egocentric thinking predominates
  2. Concrete operational stage (Elementary and early adolescence). In this stage (characterized by 7 types of conservation: number, length, liquid, mass, weight, area, volume), intelligence is demonstarted through logica! and systematic manipulation of symbols related to concrete objects. Operational thinking develops (menta! actions that are reversible). Egocentric thought dirninishes. 4. Formai operational stage (Adolescence and adulthood). In this stage, intelligence is demonstrated through the logica! use ofsymbols related to abstract concepts. Early in the period there is a return to egocentric thought. Only 35% ofhigh school graduates in industrialized countries obtain formai operations; many people do not think formally during adulthood.

Many pre-school and primary programs are modeled on Piaget's theory, which, as stated previously, provides part ofthe foundation for constructivist leaming. Discovery leaming and supporting the developing interests ofthe child are two primary instructional techniques. It is recommended that parents and teachers challenge the child's abilities, but NOT present materiai or information that is too far beyond the child's leve!. It is also recommended that teachers use a wide variety of concrete experiences to help the child leam (e.g., use ofmanipulatives, working in groups to get experience seeing from another's perspective, field trips, etc).

Piaget's research methods were based primarily on case studies [they were descriptive]. While some of his ideas have been supported through more correlational and experimental methodologies, others have not. Por example, Piaget believed that biologica! development drives the movement from one cognitive stage to the next. Data from cross-sectional studies of children in a variety of western cultures seem to support this assertion for the stages of sensorimotor, preoperational, and concrete operations.

' (^) Educational Psychology Interactive: Cognitive Development

Attainment ofFormal Operational

1hinking by High School Students

40\ll 35\ll 30\ll 25\ll 20\ll 15\ll I 0
5
0
9 1 O
(^11) GRADE

So uree.: Reoner and others ( 1976)

12

There are a number of §J;lecifig examples of how to use Piagetian theory in teaching/leaming process.

References

  • Bruner, J. (1966). Studies in cognitive growth: A collaboration at the Centerfar Cognitive Studies. New York: Wiley & Sons.
  • Bruner, J. (1974). Toward a theory ofinstruction. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
  • Dewey, J. (1997a). Experience and education. New York: MacMillan Publishing Co.
  • Dewey, J. (1997b). How we think. New York: Dover Publications.
  • Kuhn, D., Langer, J., Kohlberg, L., & Haan, N. S. (1977). The development offormal operations. in logica! and moraljudgment. Genetic Psychology Monographs, 95, 97-188.
  • Neisser, U. (1967) Cognitive psychology. New York: Appleton-Century Crofts.
  • Piaget, J. (1972). The psychology ofthe child. New York: Basic Books.
  • Piaget, J. (1990). The child's conception of the world. New York: Littlefield Adams.
  • Piaget, J., Gruber, H. (Ed.), & Voneche, J. J. (Ed.). The essential Piaget (100th Anniversary Ed.). New York: Jason Aronson.
  • Renner, J., Stafford, D., Lawson, A., McK.innon, J., Friot, E., & Kellogg, D. (1976). Research, teaching, and learning with the Piaget model. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press.
  • Vygotsky, L. (1986). Thought and language. Boston: MIT Press.
  • Vygotsky, L., & Vygotsky, S. (1980). Mind in society : The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.