Stage 1- Lecture 5 - Cognitive Psychology Flashcards
What is cognitive development?
Thinking, problem solving, concept understanding, intelligence
What is domain general?
One line of development determines all other changes
What is domain specific?
Different lines of development operate fairly independent
Basic concept of cog development?
Children develop as they interact with their environment- they form mental representations - Constructivist
What is a schema?
Mental representation of the world around us
Assimilation?
Incorporate incoming information- similar information= equilibrium - e.g. if you already think an apple is green, when you see a green apple this matches your schema
Accommodation?
Process of adapting a schema- challenge- disequilibrium
4 stages of cognitive development?
Sensorimotor - preoperational- concrete operations- formal operations
Sensorimotor?
Birth- 2 years
Intelligence in action
Child interacts with environment by manipulating objects - uses senses/ permanence
Pre-operational?
2-7 years
Thinking is dominated by perception - Egocentrism
Concrete operations?
7-11/12 years
Logical reasoning applied only to objects that are real or in view- begin to solve conservation problems( which glass has the most liquid in) - thinking systematically is difficult
Formal operations?
11/12 years
Can think logically about abstract ideas
3d mountain experiment by Paiget?
When asked what a doll could see from a certain angle, children chose what they could see not what the doll could see
At what age in the 3d mountain experiment did children give the dolls view?
8/9 years
Hughes study?
Hide and seek task- 30 children (3.5-5 years old) asked to hide a doll from a policemen
Conclusion= children younger than Piaget expected could successfully complete the task- underestimated the cognitive ability of children
Examples of conservation tasks?
Do two containers hold the same amount of liquid?
Are there the same amount of circles on the top and bottom row?
Impact of conservation tasks on younger children?
They believe that the superficial changes are fundamental
Criticising failures of conservation tasks?
Language barriers
Social desirability - did I not get it right the first time
Naughty Teddy Experiment? 1974
Donaldson- Looked at 80 children between 4/6 years old
In traditional Piaget condition - asked which row had more coins after movement - 48% pass rate
Teddy condition - accidental tradition- 80% pass rate
Naughty teddy conclusion?
Shows the importance of interpretation of social context
Piaget underestimates cognitive ability
Criticism of naughty teddy?
Do children fail task because they do not understand the task or do not understand conservation
Cognitive dev- implications for education?
Helps determine how best to teach
Physical activities followed by questions= good learning tool
Criticising Piaget theory?
Tasks are culturally biased
Need to take into account that school and literacy rates affect development
Formal operational thinking is not universal
How does Vygotsky fit with Piaget?
Agrees that child’s interaction with environment is what influences cog dev but puts MORE emphasis on cultural differences
Vygotsky beliefs on 3 major contributions to cog dev?
Environment/ Socialisation
Language + Thought
Zone of proximal development
Environment and Socialisation?
The socio-cultural environment is important as language/thought/ reasoning all develop through social interaction
Development is a product of culture
Language and Thought?
Language = plan/guide/monitor for behaviour= self regulatory
Children talk to themselves when completing a difficult task
Eventually this private speech becomes internalised and becomes inner speech instead (6/7)- term known as thought
Zone of proximal development?
What a child is capable of with/without guidance- actual vs potential dev
Teachers should attempt to keep children in this zone for maximal achievement
What does the term scaffolding mean?
Giving a child just enough support for achievement of understanding
Language P VS V?
P= Language is under developed until 6/7- just another representational system V= Language is social and communicative- it is essential for cog development
Mental processes P vs V?
P= Mental p are characterised by formal, specific operations V= Mental p are shaped by socio-cultural situations
