Piaget

Question 1

Piaget’s theory

Answer 1

Children construct or build up their thoughts according to their experiences of the world around them.

Question 2

Schema

Answer 2

A child’s conclusions and thoughts

Question 3

Universal stages of development

Answer 3

1. Sensorimotor stage (0-2 years)
2. Pre-operational stage (2-7 years)
3. Concrete operations stage (7-11 years)
4. Formal operations stage (11-15 years)

Question 4

Sensorimotor stage 0-2 years

Answer 4

Babies use their reflexes to survive.
Babies first schemas are physical as they learn to repeat and control their movements.

Question 5

Development of object permenance

Answer 5

In the first few months, a baby will appear to accept the disappearance of an object. This is because they haven’t learned the idea that the object is still in existence somewhere

At 8 or 9 months, babies will seem to understand this concept and we can test this by taking an object from them and placing it under a pillow near them. The baby should lift the pillow to find the object

Question 6

Development of general symbolic function

Answer 6

Towards the end of the sensorimotor stage the child begins to use symbols.
Language is symbolic as we use words to represent objects.
Children also use objects to stand for things in their play such as play doh representing a cake.
Schemas have now became internal rather than physical and Piaget saw this as a breakthrough moment.

Question 7

Pre-operational stage 2-7 years

Answer 7

Children develop their skills using symbols i.e. language.
Lots of imaginative play which uses objects in a representational way e.g. boxes become cars. There are 4 sub-stages:
•egocentrism
•difficulty with conservation
•centration
•animism

Question 8

Egocentrism

Answer 8

Children in the pre-operational stage see things from their own perspective. They may not take an overview when solving problems and instead they may focus on the detail

Question 9

Difficulty with conservation

Answer 9

Children may find it hard to understand how things can stay the same even though their appearance has changed e.g. a ball of play doh then rolled into a log are the same but the child disagrees or the amount of water in 2 different cups

Question 10

Centration

Answer 10

Children are beginning to classify objects and make associations. This is only looking at one attribute at a time such as size or colour but not size and colour at the same time.

Question 11

Animism

Answer 11

Because they have feelings, the objects must have feelings too

Question 12

Concrete operations stage 7-11 years

Answer 12

This stage marks a great leap in children’s logical abilities. They begin to use rules and strategies to help their thinking. Children’s understanding is aided by the use of practical tools e.g. the use of counters for maths. Children are also able to conserve and decentre which means that they see things from other people’s point of view.

Question 13

Formal operations stage 11-15 years

Answer 13

Children are now able to manipulate thoughts and ideas to solve problems without needing practical props.

Question 14

Hypothesise

Answer 14

Make a prediction

Question 15

Assimilation

Answer 15

The child constructs a theory or schema

Question 16

Equilibrium

Answer 16

The child’s experiences to date seem to fit the schema (everything balances)

Question 17

Disequilibrium

Answer 17

An experience occurs that casts doubt on the effectiveness of the schema (things don’t add up any more)

Question 18

Accommodation

Answer 18

The child changed the original schema to fit the new information