Cognition and Development

Cognition and Development

1. Piaget's Theory of CD

   • He believed we are 'lone scientists' and explore the world by ourselves. Not only do children have less info than adults, but they think DIFFERENTELY
   • SCHEMATA = the building blocks of knowledge and used to form a mental representation of the world. We can add too, take away from and view whenever we want. It helps us make sense of situations, images and objects.
   • ASSIMILATION = when we gain new or advanced information about a pre-existing schema, when the info does not radically oppose the pre-existing schema. Pet dog = so have dog schema = new breed in public adds to dog schema.
   • ACCOMODATION = new info that does radically oppose a pre existing schema. So when it doesn't make sense we have to make a NEW schema to accomodate with the new info. If they have a pet dog and then see a cat for the first time, which really changes their processing, so has to make a NEW CAT schema.
   • DISEQUILIBRIUM = the sense of imbalance when a child cant make sense of the world around them. They have gained new info that can't be explained on the surface by any existing schema. Therefore they have to get a comfortable feeling through assimilation or accomodation.
   • EQUILIBRATION = this is the preffered mental state when all of our knowledge is sorted into a schema and all new info makes sense.
   • SUPPORTING EVIDENCE = his research of how children learn has revolutionised modern day learning for children and how they are taught in early years. Their innate reflex schemata is learning through physical domains, so early years teaching is based around play and phsycial aspects. As a result, a countless number of children have developed quicker and better!
   • UNDERESTIMATION = Piaget heavily underestimated the role of teachers, parents and family into children's learning and cognitive development. Other theorists such as Vygotsky argue learning is a social process with the quality and frequency of social interaction being vital. Genie was severely underdeveloped at 12 and could barely speak.
   • OVERESTIMATED EQUILIBRIATION = not all children have the urge to remove the disequilibrium or motivation. His theory does not cater for these children.

2. CD is the gaining and extension of all mental processes which includes how we think and how we understand situations we are in. It lasts our whole lives but is important in childhood.