Exam 1: Piaget and Cognitive Development Flashcards
Main idea
Desire to understand the world comes from a need for cognitive equilibrium
Cognitive equilibrium
The things we know about the world match our internal representations; what we know in our minds matches what we see in the outside world
Schema
mental categories of concepts that we have for everything
Assimilation
When we encounter a new concept/situation outside of preexisting schemas, we make sense of it by finding similarities to concepts we already know and group it in
Accommodation
When we encounter a new concept/situation outside of preexisting schemas, we make sense of it by adding/expanding schemas
-focusing on differences
Stages of Cognitive Development: Sensorimotor
Ages 0-2
Learning is done by physical hands on experiences/ the senses
-tasting, smelling, touching, hearing
Sensorimotor substage: Reflexes
0-1 M
Learning is done through reflexes that orient the child to the world
Sensorimotor substages: primary circular reactions
1-4 M
Reflexes begin to be replaced with voluntary movements
Infant does spontaneous things with body that they enjoy which drives them to do it again
ie. making an interesting vocalization
Sensorimotor substage: Secondary circular reactions
4-8 M
Recognizes that motor behaviors they perform can have an impact on other objects
Realizes that they can make things happens
ie. pulling another baby’s ear, repeatedly banging pots and pans
Sensorimotor substage: coordination of circular reactions
8-12 M
Object permanence develops
Goal directed activities
Sensorimotor substages: Tertiary Circular Reactions
12-18 M
Learns broader concepts of the physical world like gravity
-might push a cup off a table or keep dropping cheerios on the ground
Sensorimotor substage: Internalization
18-24 M
Apply previously learned things
ie. remember you can lick a mixing spoon for brownies, child licks unattended mixing spoon that parents have left out
Generalization of schemas
The A-not-B Error
2 cloths are present
A toy is hidden underneath one of the cloths
The child correctly reaches for the toy under that cloth
When the child sees the toy is hidden underneath the second cloth, the child will continue to reach for the toy at the first location
-object permanence has not fully developed
BUT when the delay is reduced between hiding the toy and the child finding the toy, they are more likely to reach for the second side
Stages of Cognitive Development: Preoperational
Ages 2-7
Understand that symbols have meaning for something else (like language that facilitates knowing and communicating about the world)
Still do not understand how the physical world operates
Stages of Cognitive Development: Concrete Operational
Ages 7-11
Start to understand physics and logic of the world
ie. know that an egg is still an egg after it’s been cooked
Stages of Cognitive Development: Formal Operational
Ages 12+
Understanding of the world and ability to think abstractly about concepts
