Jean Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development
Jean Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development
Jean Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development
Outline
(1) General introduction. (2) Sensory-Motor period. (3) Pre-operational period. (4) Concrete operations. (5) Formal operations. (6) Evaluation.
Why accommodate?
Normally, the mind is in a state of equilibrium: existing structures are stable, and assimilation is mostly occurring. However, a discrepant experience can lead to disequilibrium or cognitive instability Child forced to accommodate existing structures.
Intentions at stage 2
Intentionality beginning to emerge: infant can now self-initiate certain schemes (e.g., thumb-sucking)
Intentionality at stage 3
Poor understanding of the connection between causes and effect limits their ability to act intentionality. Magical causality accidentally banging toy makes many interesting things happen
Intentionality at Stage 4
First appearance of intentional or in Piagets terms, means-end behavior. Infant learns to use one secondary scheme (e.g., pulling a towel) in order that another secondary scheme can be activated (e.g., reaching and grasping a toy)
A trials
A trials
A trials
A trials
A trials
A trials
B trials
B trials
B trials
A not B error
Infant continues to search at the first hiding location after object is hidden in the new location. Object still subjectively understood. Object remains associated with a previously successful scheme.
Summary
Sensori-motor period culminates in the emergence of symbolic representation. Object permanence understood. Basic means-ends skills have emerged.
Piaget Part 2
Beyond the sensorimotor period
3 Mountains Task
Doll 1
Doll 2
Child
3 Mountains Task
Doll 1
Doll 2
Child
Conservation of mass
Conservation of mass
Conservation of mass
Emotion reasoning
Horizontal decalage
Different conservation problems solved at different ages. Some claim it is a threat to Piagets domain general view of cognitive development Example: volume vs mass But, invariant sequence observed.
V: Formal operations
Thought no longer applied strictly to concrete problems. Directed inward: thought becomes the object of thought. Advances in use of deductive and inductive logic
V: Formal operations
Deductive thought in period of concrete operations confined to familiar everyday experience: If Sam steals Tims toy, then how will Tim feel? Formal operations: If we could eliminate injustice, would the world live in peace? Thinking goes beyond experience, more abstract
Inductive reasoning
Example: Pendulum problem Scientific thinking: from specific observations to general conclusions through hypothesis-testing
Inductive reasoning
Example: Pendulum problem
How fast?
Inductive reasoning
Formal operational children will systematically test all possibilities before arriving at a conclusion
Strengths
Active rather than passive view of the child. Revealed important invariants in cognitive development. Errors informative. Perceptual-motor learning rather than language important for development. Tasks.
Weaknesses
The competence-performance distinction
Competence
Knowledge, rules, and concepts that form the basis of cognition. Inferred from behaviour.
Performance
Energy level, interest, attention, language skills, motivation etc. Factors that effect the expression of a competence.
Competence-performance distinction.
Piaget attributed infants success (or lack of success) to competence. However, he gave no consideration to performance factors that may have constrained the expression of knowledge. Example: A not B
Other examples
Borke (1975) & the 3 mountains task. Bruner (1966) & the liquid conservation task.
More detailed task analysis required.
Stages?
Stage like progression only observed if one assumes a bird-eye view. Closer inspection reveals more continuous changes (Siegler, 1988).
Summary
Piagets theory is wide-ranging and influential. Source of continued controversy. People continue to address many of the questions he raised, but using different methods and concepts.