Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development

Question 1

What is a schema?

Answer 1

A unit of knowledge about a certain person, object, action or situation created through first-hand experience.

Question 2

Define disequilibrium.

Answer 2

A child cannot make sense of the world as the current schema are insufficient.

Question 3

Outline assimilation.

Answer 3

A new experience is not too dissimilar so can be incorporated into an existing schema.

Question 4

Outline accommodation.

Answer 4

When an experience is too dissimilar and unable to fit into the current schema, new schema must be created to facilitate it.

Question 5

Give two advantages of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development.

Answer 5

Advantages:
- Supporting evidence comes from Howe at al. - put 9-12 year olds into small groups to discuss how things move down a slope - children did not reach the same conclusion - supports the idea that children learn differently through forming personal mental representations.

• Piaget’s theory has high practical validity - activity-oriented classrooms allow children to learn in a more natural way - e.g. early years classes are focused around discovering new aspects of the world - high practical validity to this explanation.

Question 6

Give two disadvantages of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development.

Answer 6

Disadvantages:
- Role of equilibrium may be overemphasised - disequilibrium, and its correction, was the motivating factor in cognitive development - though not all children are equally as motivated - e.g. children from middle-class families are motivated to learn more than lower-class families - questioning the cultural validity of this explanation. 

• Piaget underestimated to role of other individuals - teachers were recognised as important - other theories suggest the role of others is more central - e.g. Vygotsky stated learning is more of a social process and advanced learning is only possible with others - Piaget’s theory is somewhat limited.