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Cognitive Development. Q1: Evaluate theories of cognitive development. Approach. Intro Background- cognitive development Thesis- evaluate command term Body- strengths and limitations of each theory Piaget- stages Vygotsky - social and cultural factors
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Cognitive Development Q1: Evaluate theories of cognitive development
Approach Intro • Background- cognitive development • Thesis- evaluate command term Body- strengths and limitations of each theory • Piaget- stages • Vygotsky- social and cultural factors • Neuroscience- biological factors Conclusion- summarize key points
Introduction • Cognitive development-social, environmental and genetic influence • Maturation- the unfolding of behaviors that are genetically programmed • Learning-changes in behavior, thoughts, and feelings as a result of experience • Main debate- how these changes occur over time • Nature- effects of maturation • The unfolding of behaviors under the influence of genetic predisposition • Nurture- effects of the environment • Diet, parenting styles, culture, education • Thesis: Constructivist, social constructivist, and neuroscientific theories all contribute to the understanding of cognitive development
Jean Piaget’s theory (Constructivist) • Knowledge develops through schemas • Assimilation- new events fit existing schemas (doggie- poodle to doggie- terrier) • Accommodation-new events do not fit existing schemas and new knowledge is created (doggie to horse) • Born with innate schemas which are modifies through adaptation • Stages of development (universal) • Sensorimotor stage (0-2) • Pre-operational stage (2-7) • Concrete operational stage (7-11) • Formal operational stage (11+)
Sensorimotor Stage (0-2 years) • Lack of object permanence • Object permanence develops around 8 months, but incomplete • 4 months- child will not look for object • 8 months-child will look for object in the last place found even if hidden somewhere else • Development of full object permanence at around ages 18-24 months
Pre-operational Stage (age 2-7) • Operations- logical mental rules but this stage, children can’t internalize these rules and still rely on appearances • Egocentrism– child can only see the world from own point of view (Mountain task) • Children lack conservation- the realization that objects can remain the same despite a change in appearance (demonstrated through conservation tasks of reversibility) • Classification limitation- inability to classify objects into the same groups (begins around age 4)
Elementary (gr. 2)- High School • Concrete operational stage (7-11) • Development of rules and schemas (operations) for how the (concrete) world is ordered • Development of conservation • Formal operational stages (11+) • Ideas and problems can be manipulated without concrete objects (abstract reasoning) • Imagination and role play • Reasoning • If A > B > C; A > C
Evaluation of Piaget • Strengths • 1st comprehensive theory of cognitive development • Evidence • Egocentrism: Mountain task and Policeman view experiment • Lack of Conservation : Conservation tasks • Application: Education and constructivism- children as actively engaged in understanding their world • Limitations • Criticism of ‘ages and stages’- findings based on interviews and observations • Less focus on social and cultural factors • Object permanence is more flexible than Piaget argued (Bower, 1982) and criticism of some conservation tasks (McGarrigle& Donaldson (1974)- may be demand characteristics)
Lev Vygotsky - Social Constructivist • Importance of social interaction, culture, language, instruction, and play in cognitive development • Children make sense of the world through shared meaning and language contributes to thought & understanding • Zone of proximal development- instruction from one more skilled in the task provided by scaffolding to bridge the gap between what one can do alone and what one can do with assitance • Strengths • Some evidence for the role of language in thought • Application in education (ZPD) • Limitations • Not all aspects of the theory are supported
Piaget- Innate maturation processes that drive cognitive developmentVygotsky-Shared meaning with others communicated through language and interaction
Neuroscience and neuroplasticity • Synaptic growth most significant in the first year and growth continues throughout adolescence • Changes in brain structure • Chugani, 1999)- PET scans of newborns showed increased glucose metabolism in different regions over time-from brain stem and thalamus (reflexes) to higher level functioning such as frontal lobe development • Doubles in size from birth to young adulthood • Strengths • Similar to animal research (Rosensweig, 1972) • Application- importance of a healthy environment • Limitations • Correlational research- no cause and effect • Still many unanswered questions about cognition