Chapter 3: Cognitive Development: Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s Theories

1. Chapter 3: Cognitive Development:Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s Theories PED 392 Child Growth and Development

2. Jean Piaget (1896-1980) • Published at 10 years old • Ph.D. at 21 in Natural Sciences • Published amazing amounts • 40 books • 200 articles • Piaget’s Theory on cognitive development

3. Piaget’s Theory • Sensorimotor • Birth to 1 ½ to 2 years Old • Preoperational • 2 Years Old to 5-7 Years Old • Concrete Operational • 5-7 Years Old to 11-12 Years Old • Formal Operational • 11-12 Years Old and up

4. Sensorimotor stage • Use of Reflexes - Birth -1 Mo • Born with reflexes • Primary Circular reactions – 1-3 Mo • Associates Movement with reflexes • Secondary Circular reactions – 3-9 Mo • Tries to recreate reflexes • Application of the secondary schemata – 8-12 Mo • Produce at will • Tertiary Circular reactions – 12-18 Mo • Curious of the world • Invention of new means through mental combinations – 12-24 Mo • Understanding of things and how to use them

5. Preoperational • Begins to think about objects and their absence • Symbols represent objects • Words, images, etc • Fantasy • Humanizes objects

6. Concrete Operational • Begins to use logic to think • Think abstractly and makes rational judgments • Asks questions • Uses classifications

7. Formal Operational • Hypothetical thought and reasoning • Begin to form their own logic • Difference between “real” and “possible” • Only things they “know” exist, and now, things they do not know “might” exist

8. Definitions • Metacognition – Thinking about thinking • Egocentrism – “perceive, understand and interpret the world in terms of the self” • Seriation – Ability to order objects in a logical progression (ie, shortest to tallest)

9. Problems with Piaget • He studied his own children • He underestimated children • Tasks were quite complex • Children lack the ability to explain, but can still do, the activities • He did not describe his studies in depth

10. Piaget • Three important aspects of learning • Exploration • Social interactions • Play • Children need to be “mentally ready” to learn • Must engage socially.

11. Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) • Relationships between individuals and society • Wrote more than 100 books and articles in 10 years. • Thought and Language was not published until after his death. • Work was banned by Soviet Union until 1956.

12. Vygotsky • Knowledge is co-constructed, as an interaction between people. • Interactions with more knowledgeable people increase knowledge. • Social interactions help develop knowledge

13. Vygotsky • Internalization – constructing an internal representation of external actions or operations. • Not have to think about activity, just do • “raise your right hand.” • Zone of Proximal Development • Difference between the actual level of development and the potential level of development in the child.

14. Vygotsky and Language • Most important tool in cognitive development • 3 types of speech • Social – communication • Egocentric – regulate behavior and thinking • Talking outloud to yourself • Inner – internalizing egocentric speech • Talk to self in own head

15. Criticizing Vygotsky • Does not emphasize physical maturation • Distinctions are made, but not defined • How does the child move from A to B • Assisted reader to independent reader • Others are needed for guidance of children's development

16. Scaffolding • Adults provide support to a child who is learning to master a task or problem • Steps to accomplishing the goal (must be an active participant in a meaningful way) • Adult reads to child • Adult reads and points out words, objects • Adult reads, child point out words, objects • Child reads some, adult reads some • Child reads most, adult reads little • Child reads alone