Piaget’s (1896-1990) Stages of Cognitive Development

Emphasizes thinking, reasoning, language. Piaget believed that cognitive

development as a way of adapting to the environment. He believed that children
are intrinsically motivated to explore and understand things.
Schema : A concept or framework that already exists in a person’s mind.
Assimilation : The incorporation of new information into one’s existing
knowledge.
Accommodation : An individual’s adjustment to new information.
4 Stages of Cognitive Development
Sensory-Motor Stage (birth to 2 years) : Infant experiences world in sensory
information and motor activities. Appliying skills they are born with(sucking;
ex: Taking things into mouth,mother’s breast, thumb, grasping;ex.rattle). Object
permanence (things continue to exist even when they are out of sight, 8m).
Mental representations develop. Ability to form mental images or symbols-
words used to think or remember an object, person, event and to manipulate
those representations in their heads). Developed a capacity for self recognition
21-24m(ex : Red nose in the mirror).
Preoperational Stage (2-7 years) : Use mental representations and language to
describe, remember and reason about the world in an egocentric way (inability
to see things from another’s point of view). Engage in Fantasy play(a box
becomes a castle). Symbolic gestures (killing an imaginary dragon with an
imaginary dragon). Too young to perform mental operations. In Piaget’s famous
experiment 2 identical glasses (tall & wide, hold same amount) were showed,
asked which is hold more fluid, they say taller holds more, ignore past and
future (Conservation). Concentrate on the most outstanding aspects of events
(only appearence). Can’t consider future and past.
Concrete Operations (7-11 years) : Individual attend to more than one thing at
a time and understand someone else’s point of view, but thinking limited to
concrete matters. Principles of conservation(volume of a liquid stays same
regardless of the size and shape of the container into which poured). Related
conservation consepts are number, lenght, area & mass. Ability to understand
objects can be members of 2 classes at age 7-8 (Presenting 4 cats, 2 dogs &
asking wheather more cats or more animals? They say more cats). Stuck in here
and know.
Formal Operations (11-15 years) : Reaches during adolescence . Understand
abstract ideas. Around age 12, our reasoning ability expands from concrete
thinking to abstract thinking. Formulate hypothesis, test them mentally, reject or
accept according to outcome of mental experiments.
Criticisms of Piaget's Theory
Instead of a distinct stages in cognitive development it is a continuous process
results from the slow acquisiton of experience and practice. Criticism of notion
that infants do not understand world could not think. Children understand the
basic laws of physics. They are amazed at how a ball can stop in midair or
disappear. Piaget may have underestimated influence of social interaction in
cognitive development. Vygotsky argued that people more advanced in their
thinking provide opportunities for cognitive growth for children. Learning
experiences depend on a society’s culture.
Kohlberg’s(1927-1987) Stages of Moral Development
Development of moral reasoning : Heinz Dilemma(A woman was near death
from cancer, Recently discovered a drug might save her. It’s price ten times
more what drug cost the druggist. Heinz only borrowed half of the money. Ask
druggist sell it cheaper or pay him later. He said no. Heinz was desperate and
broke into the store and steal the drug).
Preconventional (preadolescence) : “Good” behavior is mostly to avoid
punishment or seek reward. Right or wrong as a function of physical
consequences.
Conventional (adolescence) : Behavior is about pleasing others (what others
think) and, in later adolescence, becoming a good citizen. Require an ability to
think about such abstract values as duty, and social order. They can put oneself
other person’s shoes.
Postconventional : Emphasis is on abstract principles such as justice, equality,
and liberty. Personal values become the guideposts for deciding what is right
and wrong. There can be discrepancy between personal value and society’s.
Criticisms of Kohlberg’s Theory
Research shows that many people never progress past the conventional level.
Theory does not take cultural differences into account. Ex: Boat and man.
Theory is considered by some to be sexist in that girls often scored lower on
tests of morality.
Language Development
Language is a form of communication, whether spoken, written, or signed, that
is based on a system of symbols. Development of language follows a predictable
pattern. Coo at 2 m (nondescript word for nondescript sounds). Babbling (3-4
months). Make the sounds of all languages. Intonation about 4-6 m. Rising and
lowering tones to distinguish between You are tired. & You are tired? They can
distinguish sounds of own language and other languages. They can recognize
own names, ‘Anne, Baba’. First word around 1 years (dada). Holophrases (18-20
months). One word is used to mean a whole sentence (Ops, ouch, ayyy vb).

Theories of Language Development

Skinner theorized that language develops as parents reward children for
language usage.
Chomsky proposed the language acquisition device. A neural mechanism for
acquiring language presumed to be “wired into” all humans. Children have an
internal map of language: filled with the environment supplied (English,
Mexican or Turkish language).
Motherese or infant directed speech. Style of speech used by adults (mostly
parents) in all cultures to talk to babies and children. Children reared in
institutions, without smiling adults or rewarding their efforts babble like others
but take longer to talk.
Bilingualism and the development of a second language. Understanding learning
second language improves our understanding of learning language. People
acquired second language during infancy have a single Broca, acquired during
adolescence or adulthood have 2 Brocas specialized for producing speech.
Social Development
Parent-Child Relationships in Infancy
Early in life child’s most important relationship is with her mother or caregiver.
By the time 3 y their relationships include siblings, play mates, and other adults.
School expands children’s social world.
Development of Attachment : In animals imprinting occurs (Lorenz). Inborn
tendency or instinct. Tendency to follow the first moving thing seen normally
the mother provide nurturance and protection.
Human newborns develop attachment : Humans form an emotional bond with
those who care for them in infancy (Bowlby, 1907-1990). Based upon
interaction with caregiver and around 6 months. At 7 month it becomes more
intense, when they get hurt, tired or frightened.
Origins of Attachment : Harlow (1971) showed that infants bond with
surrogate mothers because of bodily contact and not because of nourishment.
Stranger anxiety : Stranger anxiety is the fear of strangers, 8 months. This is
the age at which infants form schemas for familiar faces and cannot assimilate a
new face.
Development of Attachment
Trust vs Mistrust (0- 1 year) (Erikson’s theory) : Learning to count on
caregiver to be there when needed, if baby’s needs satisfied. Develop faith
herself and others, world is secure, dependable place and optimism about future.
If caregiver unresponsive or absent, baby grow fearful, anxious about security.
Autonomy : Sense of independence (child formed secure attachment can
explore environment without fear).
Mary Ainsworth Attachment Differences : Secure Base Attachment : Placed
in a strange situation, 60% of children express secure attachment, i.e., they
explore their environment happily in the presence of their mothers. When their
mother leave, they show distress.
The other 30% show insecure attachment. These children cling to their mothers
or caregivers and are less likely to explore the environment.
Socialization : Toddler assert their independence by saying ‘No’ everything(get
dress, go to sleep, use potty). Process by which children learn appropriate
attitudes and behaviors.
Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt (1-3 years, Erikson’s Theory) : If toddler
fails to acquire sense of independence and seperate from others self doubt may
occur & question dealing with effectively with the world. Negotiating
relationship between reasonable independence and respecting to social rules and
values (in this way autonomy and socialization met).
Deprivation of Attachment
Social isolation leads to serious problems. Normal development requires
affectionate contact. Lack of social contact, rather than lack of parent causes the
problem Lesser periods of isolation may be overcome, longer periods cause
irreparable damage.
Prolonged Deprivation : If parental or caregiving support is deprived for an
extended period of time, children are at risk for physical, psychological, and
social problems, including alterations in brain serotonin levels.
Parent-Child Relationships in Childhood

Initiative vs Guilt (3-6 y, Erikson’s Theory) : Parental encouragement leads

sense of joy in taking new tasks. If children are repeatedly critisized and scolded
for things they do wrong they may develop feelings of unworthiness, resentment
and guilt. Avoiding these negative feelings is the major challenge of this stage.
Baumrind’s Parenting Styles
4 basic type of parenting style.
Authoritarian :Tightly control children’s behavior and insist on obedience. Can
produce children who have poor communication skills, who are moody,
withdrawn, and distrustful.
Permissive-indifferent : Parents have too little control and often are indifferent
and neglectful. Children tend to become overly dependent and lack social skills
and self-control.
Permissive-indulgent : Parents are very attentive and supportive, but do not set
limits on behavior. Children tend to be immature, disrespectful, impulsive, and
out of control.
Authoritative (most successful) : Parents provide firm structure, but are not
overly controlling Parents listen to their children’s opinions and explain their
decisions, bur are still clearly in charge. Children tend to become self-reliant and
socially responsible.