Transcript Slide 1

Born in 1896, died in 1980.
He was an epistemologist who studied
children’s intellectual development.
 Developed a theory of cognitive
development. “He posited that children
progress through 4 stages and that they all
do so in the same order” (Learning Theories
Knowledgebase, 2010). It consists of four
stages of intellectual development:
Sensorimotor stage, Preoperational stage,
Concrete Operational stage, and the
Formal Operational stage.
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Schemes: actions or representations that
organize knowledge.
 Assimilation: use of existing schemes to
deal with new information.
 Accommodation: adjustment of
schemes to take in new information.
 Organization: groupings of behaviors
and thoughts into a higher-order system.
 Equilibration: moving from one stage of
cognitive development to the next.

Sensorimotor Stage.
 Object Permanence: Is an object there?
 Sensory Input: Touching a toy.
 Motoric Action: protruding the tongue.
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Preoperational Stage.
 Egocentrism: Is that you or me?
 Intuitive Thought Substage: Let’s play 20
questions.
 Centration: Piaget’s Conservation Task.

Formal Operational Stage.
 Abstract Thinking: Thinking about thought
itself.
 Logical Thinking: Does this make sense?
 Idealistic Thinking: The world is perfect.
 Hypothetical-deductive reasoning:
creating a hypotheis, and deducing
implications (testing it).

Postformal thought.
 Pragmatic thinking: Applying knowledge
in their work.
 Reflective/Relativistic thinking: Being
able to view other perspectives and
opinions (mutual respect).
 Creativity: What can I invent?

Fluid Intelligence: Abstract reasoning
declines.
 Crystalized Intelligence: a person’s
accumulated information and verbal
skills increases.

Sensory/Motor: Declines with age.
 Speed-of-Processing: Declines due to a
decline in brain functioning.
 Attention: Selected, Divided, or
Sustained.
 Memory: Health, education, and
socioeconomic status affect this.
 Wisdom: Expert knowledge about
practical aspects of life.
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Kagan, J. (2008). In Defense of Qualitative Changes in
Development. Child Development, 79(6), 1606-1624.
doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2008.01211.x.
Learning Theories Knowledgebase (2010, October). Stage Theory of
Cognitive Development (Piaget) at Learning-Theories.com.
Retrieved October 20th, 2010 from http://www.learningtheories.com/piagets-stage-theory-of-cognitive-development.html
Newkirk, Ella. (2008). Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory.
Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/newkirker/PiagetsCognitive-Development-Theory
Psaltis, C., Duveen, G., & Perret-Clermont, A. (2009). The Social and
the Psychological: Structure and Context in Intellectual
Development. Human Development (0018716X), 52(5), 291-312.
doi:10.1159/000233261.
Santrock, John W. (2008). Essentials of Life-Span Development. New
York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.