Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development Flashcards
1.1.2 Understand the role of education and intelligence, including Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development, and the four stages of cognitive development, including strengths and weaknesses of the theory:
What are the four stages of cognitive development according to Piaget?
- Sensorimotor (0-2 years)
- Pre-operational (2-7 years)
- Concrete Operational (7-12 years)
- Formal Operational (12+ years)
Each stage represents a different way children learn and understand the world.
What is the main focus of the Sensorimotor stage?
Learn through senses and movement
This stage involves developing object permanence.
What key concept develops during the Sensorimotor stage?
Object permanence
Understanding that objects exist even when not seen.
What is a characteristic of the Pre-operational stage?
Thinking is egocentric
Children struggle to see others’ perspectives in this stage.
What do children not understand during the Pre-operational stage?
Conservation
Objects stay the same even if their appearance changes.
What begins to develop in the Concrete Operational stage?
Logical thinking and problem-solving
Children start to understand conservation and classification.
What abilities characterize the Formal Operational stage?
Think abstractly and hypothetically
Understanding consequences and planning ahead are key skills in this stage.
Define schemas in Piaget’s theory.
Mental frameworks for understanding the world
Example: A schema for ‘dog’ includes four legs and fur.
What is assimilation?
Adding new information into an existing schema
Example: Calling a cat a dog because it has four legs.
What is accommodation?
Changing a schema when new information doesn’t fit
Example: Learning that cats and dogs are different.
What is equilibrium in Piaget’s theory?
A mental balance when schemas match experiences
Disequilibrium occurs when new information doesn’t fit, leading to learning.
What is a strength of Piaget’s theory?
Practical applications in education
Used to design age-appropriate learning.
What is a weakness of Piaget’s theory?
Underestimates abilities
Some research shows children develop skills earlier than Piaget suggested.
True or False: Piaget’s theory is culturally unbiased.
False
The theory focused on Western children, ignoring different learning experiences.
