Embedded Files
Overview
Overview
Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget proposed the concept that cognitive growth occurred in stages. Piaget studied children across a wide range of ages, ending at teens, to observe their development in an attempt to determine how they developed logical thinking.
Piaget's Study
Piaget's Study
Piaget's goal was to construct an understanding of the way in which children develop their basis of knowledge and understanding of the world as they begin to develop by exploring the ways in which interacted with their environment. He then highlighted the key stages throughout this process to develop his theory of cognitive develop, classifying important milsetones into those stages of development. Piaget's research greatly contributed to the understanding of childhood development in relation to cognitive abilities and learning experiences.
Piaget's Stages of Development
Sensorimotor Stage
Sensorimotor Stage
This is the first of Piaget's stages of cognitive development, and this stage generally takes place from birth through two years of age. Throughout this stage, infants develop motor skills and begin to gain an understanding of their environment through physical sensations and body coordination. Infants gain knowledge through the use of their key sense and begin to develop important cognitive concepts such as object permanence, self-recognition, deferred imitation, and representational play.
Example: Learning that objects they cannot see continue to exist (object permanence)
Preoperational Stage
Preoperational Stage
This is the second stage of Piaget's stages of cognitive development and generally occurs between the ages of two years and seven years. At the beginning of this stage, perception of objects and surroundings is still based solely on appearance rather than logical reasoning. They will also develop a sense of egocentrism, believing that others around them will see the world in the same way that they do, but this factor will decline as the stage progresses. at this stage, children will also begin to engage in pretend play and animism.
Example: A child might use a stick as a sword or a block as a car.
Concrete Operational Stage
Concrete Operational Stage
This is the third stage of Piaget's stages of cognitive development, occurring between the ages of seven years and eleven years. At the beginning of this stage, children begin to employ logical reasoning and processes to conserve quantities and accept the presence of various perspectives of the world. Children also gain the ability to mentally reverse occurrences and become less egocentric, factoring in the thoughts and feelings of others.
Example: Children can understand that the amount of a substance remains the same even if it is poured into a different container.
Formal Operational Stage
Formal Operational Stage
This is the final stage of Piaget's stages of cognitive development, taking place from twelve years of age and beyond. Adolescents entering this stage begin to develop abstract thinking, as well as the ability to quantify and classify objects in a more complex way. Adolescents also develop a capacity for higher-order reasoning, and the ability to successfully follow arguments.
Example: Literary works can be critiqued and it is now possible for children to engage in more advanced argument/discussion of such.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse