Cognitive Development

Cognitive development refers to how a person’s thinking, problem-solving, and understanding evolve over time; especially from infancy through adulthood.

One of the most influential frameworks comes from Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget, who proposed that children progress through four distinct stages of cognitive development, each marked by unique ways

of thinking and learning.

Cognitive Theory Keywords:

Schemas - a mental framework or cognitive structure that helps individuals understand and interact with the world.

Equilibrium - a balance between assimilation (incorporating new information into existing mental frameworks or schemas) and accommodation (adjusting schemas or creating new ones to incorporate new information)

Assimilation - The process of taking in new information and fitting it into existing knowledge structures or schemas.

Accommodation - Altering one's existing ideas (schemas) about how the world operates in response to new information and experiences.

Sensorimotor - The period where infants and young children learn about their environment primarily through their senses and motor actions.

Preoperational - A stage of development where children develop symbolic thought and language but still lack logical reasoning skills.

Concrete Operational - A stage where children begin to think logically and rationally about concrete objects, events, and situations.

Formal Operational - The ability to think abstractly, hypothetically, and systematically.

A cabin is built from a blueprint that is a guide for its structure, a schema is a mental blueprint that guides how one interprets experiences.

When there is too much wood in the fire it may grow too big and heat the space too much. When the fire is low and there isn’t enough wood, the cabin may become too cold. Finding temperature comfort is like equilibriums, finding or creating a balance.

Assimilation is similar to when guests check in at a mountain lodge. Guests are given rooms, schedules, and amenities that pre exist. The resort structure remains the same and the guests will adapt to it.

Accomodation in a mountain resort would be adjusting to weather. If a storm arrives and weather conditions are unsafe, the resort shifts outdoor activities into indoor activities to satisfy the needs of guests.

Sensorimotor is like when a guest first gets their room in a mountain resort. They will touch everything, open each drawer, and learn about the space through action and their senses.

Preoperational stage at a cabin or resort lodge would be when a young child builds a snowman. They may say “the snowman is cold” and put a scarf on the snowman. This displays imagination and egocentric thought.

Concrete Operational in cabin living can be displayed when the weather is too cold and activities are moved indoors. Learning card games requires an understanding of strategies and rules.

The formal operational stage in cabin living would be planning what to do for the next day. Seeing what the weather will be like, possible risks, figuring out appointment times for activities.

Main Points:

1) Focused on cognitive development and how children construct knowledge in stages.

2) Qualitative shifts in thinking occur at each stage—not just accumulation of knowledge.

3) Development is driven by biological maturation and interaction with the environment.

4) Children are active learners—like little scientists—constantly experimenting and adapting.

5) Equilibration helps balance new experiences with existing knowledge.

Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development

What I learned

Why do you think Cognitive Development Theory was such a radical change from the Behavioral Theories that came before it? Piaget emphasized the importance of schemas in cognitive development, and described how they were developed or acquired. Piaget showed that young children think in strikingly different ways compared to adults.

Describe each of the four stages of Cognitive Development Theory.
Sensorimotor - 0 to ~2 yrs Learning through senses and actions; object permanence.
Preoperational - 2 to 7 yrs Symbolic thinking, egocentrism, limited logical reasoning.
Concrete Operational - 7 to 11 yrs Logical thinking about concrete events; conservation.
Formal Operational - 12 years and up Abstract reasoning; hypothetical thinking; metacognition.

What would you do if you were teaching children in mid-elementary grades who show that they are still in the Preoperational stage as described by Piaget? If you plan to teach older students, answer the question as if you saw this in your own child. If a child is over the age of 7 and struggling to differentiate Area and volume, They are still in the preoperational stage. The child is not able to visually see how some items are the same even in an altered position.

Why do you think Cognitive Development Theory has been so widely accepted in the educational system? This theory relates directly to the educational development of children. Piaget's theory was developed by observing the biological maturation of children and their interaction with the environment.