✓ Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development

Question 1

What was Piaget’s main idea?

Answer 1

that children do not know less than adults, they just think in entirely different ways
- he thought of children as scientists that learn through active interaction

Question 2

What are the 3 Key Concepts of P’s theory of cog development?

Answer 2

Schemas
How learning takes place
Motivation to learn

Question 3

What are Schemas?

Answer 3

schemas contain our understanding of an object, person or idea

Question 4

What happens to Schemas as we acquire more information?

Answer 4

schemas become increasingly more complex during development as we acquire more information

Question 5

What are schemas modified through?

Answer 5

schemas are modified through assimilation and accommodation

Question 6

How does learning take place?

Answer 6

assimilation or accomodation

Question 7

What is Assimilation?

Answer 7

the process of taking in new info & fitting it into an existing schemas
e.g. truck = car

(making it similar)

Question 8

What is Accommodation?

Answer 8

the process of changing an existing schemas (or creating new schemas) in order to fit new info
e.g. new schemas for truck bc not a car

(accomodating to new info)

Question 9

What is Motivation to Learn?

Answer 9

Equilibration
= the process of going from disequilibrium to equilibrium
(bc disequilibrium is so uncomfortable & frustrating)

Question 10

What is Disequilibrium?

Answer 10

when our existing schemas do not allow us to make sense of smth new - we feel frustrated

Question 11

How do we reach Equilibration?

Answer 11

we reach equilibration through assimilation and accommodation