cognitive development - reasoning about the physical world]

Question 1

What is genetic epistemology

Answer 1

study of the origins (genesis) of knowledge (epistemology) established by Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget.

Question 2

name some key elements of genetic epistemology?

Answer 2

Cognitive schemas: way of organising a specific chunk of knowledge
- Sensorimotor schema: organise basic actions performed on objects
Operations: organise actions that are
performed mentally (“in one’s head”); have the property of being reversible

Question 3

What is the equilibration of cognitive schemes

Answer 3

Equilibration of cognitive schemas: striving for balance between assimilation and accommodation
- Assimilation: Using existing schemas to act upon the world/interpret it
- Accommodation: Adapting existing schemas to fit the reality

Question 4

Name the four stages of genetic epostemology

Answer 4

Sensory-motor [0-2 years approx]
– Preoperational [2-7 approx]
– Concrete operational [7-12 approx]
– Formal operational [12+ approx]

Question 5

Name some challenges to piagets theory

Answer 5

There may be more innate knowledge (and
innate learning mechanisms) than Piaget
believed
Sensorimotor stage: infants grasp
fundamental conceptual categories
(space, objects, numer, causality) much
faster than Piaget concluded