Transcript Theory of Cognitive Development by Jean Piaget

Piaget concluded that there were four different
stages in the cognitive development of
children.
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Sensorimotor period (Birth - 2yrs)

Preoperational Period (2yrs-7yrs)

Concrete operational stage (7yrs-11yrs)

Formal operational stage (11yrs-16yrs)
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The sensorimotor stage is divided into six sub-stages.
 intelligence is demonstrated through motor activity without
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the use of symbols
Knowledge of the world is limited (but developing) because its
based on physical interactions / experiences
Children acquire object permanence at about 7 months of age
(memory)
Physical development (mobility) allows the child to begin
developing new intellectual abilities
Some symbolic (language) abilities are
developed by the end of this stage


intelligence is demonstrated
through the use of symbols.
'Animism' -- the belief that
everything that exists has
some kind of consciousness.
(An example of this is that
children often believe that a
car won't start because it is
tired or sick, or they punish a
piece of furniture when they
run into it, because it must
have been naughty to hurt
them).
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Vocabulary is expanded and developed
Egocentric thinking predominates
'Moral realism' is characteristic of this stage -this is the belief that the child's way of thinking
about the difference between right and wrong is
shared by everyone else around them.
memory and imagination are developed, but
thinking is done in a nonlogical, nonreversible
manner
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During this stage, the thought process becomes more
rational, mature and 'adult like', or more 'operational‘
The child has the ability to develop logical thought about
an object, if they are able to manipulate it.
intelligence is demonstrated through logical and
systematic manipulation of symbols related to concrete
objects.
characterized by 7 types of conservation: number,
length, liquid, mass, weight, area, volume
Egocentric thinking diminishes
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Early in the period there is a return to egocentric
thought
In this stage, individuals move beyond concrete
experiences and begin to think abstractly, reason
logically and draw conclusions from the information
available, as well as apply all these processes.
Adolescents begin to think more as a scientist
thinks, devising plans to solve problems and
systematically testing solutions.
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intelligence is
demonstrated through
the logical use of
symbols related to
abstract concepts
many people do not
think formally during
adulthood

Only 35% of high school
graduates in industrialized
countries obtain formal
operations