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Piaget's Theory: Stages of Cognitive Development and Principles of Adaptation

This chapter explores Piaget's theory of cognitive development, which consists of four stages and emphasizes the role of adaptation and assimilation in learning. The stages include the sensorimotor period, preoperational period, concrete operational period, and formal operational period. The chapter also discusses deficiencies and criticisms of the theory, as well as the perspectives of Neo-Piagetians.

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Piaget's Theory: Stages of Cognitive Development and Principles of Adaptation

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  1. Chapter 7 - Piaget I. Piaget’s Theory 4 stages • Cognitive development • Same order in all kids

  2. Principles - development proceeds via: Adaptation • respond to environment

  3. Assimilation - incorporating new info into current understanding • Accommodation - changing existing understanding based on new information

  4. Structures - organization • Behavioral scheme - organized pattern of behavior • Symbolic scheme - representing events mentally • Operational scheme - mental problem-solving

  5. Stages = different types of logic & cognition • Impetus to advance = inability of old logic to handle new information

  6. II. Stages A. Sensorimotor Period (Birth - 2) - using reflexes for beginning problem solving Substage 1 (Birth - 1 month) - refine reflexes

  7. Substage 2 (2-4 months) - primary circular reaction - chance event occurs re stimulating own body - infant finds event pleasing - infant repeats => beginning of intentional behavior

  8. Substage 3 (4-8 months) - secondary circular reaction - learn by chance to make things happen to external objects

  9. Substage 4 (8-12 months) - coordination of secondary schemes - combining 2+ secondary reactions to achieve goal - 1st truly intentional behavior

  10. Substage 5 (12-18 months) - tertiary circular reactions - systematically experiment with objects - try new methods to solve problems - emergence of curiosity

  11. Substage 6 (18-24 months) Symbolic problem-solving - carry out experiments mentally - insight and planning - deferred imitation Object permanence - know objects still exist even when hidden

  12. Summary of Sensorimotor - from reflexive, immobile infants to planful thinkers - form simple concepts/solve problems • Deficiency: no symbolic thought

  13. B. Preoperational Period (2-7 years) - beginning use of mental symbols “Preoperational” - not yet thinking logically - magical thinking - focus on deficiencies

  14. Ability: Symbolic function • Beginning ability to make one thing represent another • Language • Pretend play

  15. 5 Deficiencies - perceive things only 1 way at a time • Egocentrism - no perspective taking • Animism - attribute lifelike qualities to inanimate objects

  16. Phenomenism - think appearance = reality • Centration - consider only one aspect when need to consider 2+ • No conservation - cannot understand that basic properties of object do not change when appearance changes

  17. C. Concrete Operational Period (7-11) • Ability = Mental Operations - think logically - about real objects & experiences

  18. Additional mental operations: • Reversibility - ability to mentally reverse an action • Seriation - ability to mentally arrange objects along a dimension

  19. Deficiency - cannot think abstractly (concrete = bound to existing objects)

  20. Piaget & Education • Construct own knowledge • Best = challenging but within ability range • Use real objects • Active learning (not listening) vs. Doman’s Better Baby Institute

  21. D. Formal Operational Period (12+) • Ability = Abstract thought - mental actions performed on ideas & propositions - reason logically - not necessarily based on reality

  22. Hypothetical-Deductive Reasoning • all factors that could affect an outcome • generate hypotheses • test the hypotheses in orderly fashion

  23. Personal & social implications Positive • Apply problem-solving to life choices • Consider possibilities • Form stable identity • Take others’ perspectives

  24. Problematic • Anger at world’s illogicality • Frustration with those in charge -> all-or-none thinking • Greater self-consciousness: Egocentrism vs. Social perspective-taking

  25. We don’t all reach formal operations • Intellectual abilities • Formal schooling Maybe we have reached but don’t demonstrate ability

  26. III. Criticisms of Theory • Competence vs. performance 1. Tasks may be too difficult 2. Low motivation to perform 3. Poor memory

  27. Following social conventions Socially appropriate responses vs. understanding • Training Piagetian Concepts Necessity of maturation vs. Research on teaching concepts (Gelman)

  28. Lack of Consistency within Stages Children perform at different levels • Timing of Stages/Skills Piaget’s ages not always appropriate But sequence of abilities is supported

  29. IV. Neo-Piagetians 1. Qualitative changes in thinking - At 2, 7, 11 - Retain the 4 basic stages & their sequence - Still no good explanation of how/why children advance 2.Performance varies by task

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