Piaget's Stages Of Cognitive Development

Interview Project
Vanessa Moss
Liberty University

Interview Project “If the brain was simple enough to be understood - we would be too simple to understand it” (Bonnie Minsky). Though very intricate and complex, the brain grows and develops for the majority of one’s life. According to Slavin, “…cognitive development proposes that a child’s intellect, or cognitive ability, progresses through four distinct stages.” These stages are Piaget’s milestones for progressive cognitive growth: sensorimotor, pre-operational, concrete operational and formal operational. The brain typically reaches milestones in the cognitive developmental process, during which common objectives are reached according to one’s age. It is very
His cognitive development is at a pre-operational stage, as evidenced by his desire to write a book about himself as a superhero with super powers (even though he would use them to save other people). He has good language skills, although they are still somewhat primitive, in that he thinks mostly of video games and dreams of becoming a champion Wii sports player. He demonstrates an initiative to try new things, such as making funny faces back and forth with his parents. His psycho-social development, which is stage 3, is appropriate for the three to six year old range. His motor skills are vigorous (Wii sports), and his language is animated, as apparent during the interview. His significant relationships are still the basic family, as his perfect day involves them all staying home together to play Wii sports. In the moral reasoning category, Braxton demonstrates that he is at the Conventional Level (II), stage 4. His statement that lying is wrong “because it hurts people” indicates a law and order orientation. He shows respect for maintaining social order for its own
He demonstrates an ability to deal with potential or hypothetical situations, such as recognizing the need to go to college so that he can get a good job and support a family, and thinking through possible situations where being truthful could put one in danger. Josh’s interests have expanded beyond the egocentric stage, as seen in his desire to write a book on the order of The Lord of the Rings, or Harry Potter. His language has developed significantly and he can create thoughts based on non-concrete situations. Josh’s psychosocial development is at stage 5, which is typical for his age. His answers indicate that he is wrestling with his role in life and his identity with friends and family. His significant relationships appear to have widened to include his girlfriend, her family, and friends. His girlfriend is what makes him smile, and his perfect day includes his family and her family on the beach, participating in vigorous activities such as swimming and surfing. Regarding Kohlberg’s stages of moral reasoning, Josh appears to be in the post-conventional level, stage 5. A lie is wrong most of the time in Josh’s opinion; however, his assessment is that there are exceptions agreed upon by society as a whole. For example, when someone’s life would be endangered by the truth, the standard can be changed for the greater