Cognitive Essay
Cognitive development may progress gradually or through a series of stages. Against this background, critically evaluate Piaget’s stage theory and its related evidence.
What is cognitive development? Cognitive development is the process of acquiring intelligence and increasingly advanced thought and problem solving ability from infancy to adulthood. Piaget 's theory of cognitive development is an inclusive theory about the nature and development of human intelligence first developed by Jean Piaget. It is primarily known as a developmental stage theory, but in fact, it deals with the nature of knowledge itself and how humans come gradually to acquire it, construct it, and use it. Moreover, Piaget(1969) claims the idea that cognitive development is at the center of human organism and language is contingent on cognitive development. Below, there is first a short description of Piaget 's views(1969) about the nature of intelligence and the description of the stages through which it develops until maturity. The first stage is sensorimotor stage (infancy). This stage ranges from birth to 2 years old. The infant uses senses and motor abilities to understand the world, beginning with reflexes and ending with complex combinations of sensor motor skills. The child relies on seeing, touching, sucking, feeling, and using their senses to learn things about themselves and the environment. Piaget(1969) calls this the sensorimotor stage to reflect his belief that knowledge is build up from sensory perception and motor actions .An important discovery during the sensorimotor stage is the concept of "object permanence”. Object permanence is the awareness that an object continues to exist even when it is not in view. After first year of exploration, the child exhibits repeating search as it searches for objects concealed in places found earlier, leading to object permanence towards the end of this stage. The child may also show evidence of deferred imitation,
What is cognitive development? Cognitive development is the process of acquiring intelligence and increasingly advanced thought and problem solving ability from infancy to adulthood. Piaget 's theory of cognitive development is an inclusive theory about the nature and development of human intelligence first developed by Jean Piaget. It is primarily known as a developmental stage theory, but in fact, it deals with the nature of knowledge itself and how humans come gradually to acquire it, construct it, and use it. Moreover, Piaget(1969) claims the idea that cognitive development is at the center of human organism and language is contingent on cognitive development. Below, there is first a short description of Piaget 's views(1969) about the nature of intelligence and the description of the stages through which it develops until maturity. The first stage is sensorimotor stage (infancy). This stage ranges from birth to 2 years old. The infant uses senses and motor abilities to understand the world, beginning with reflexes and ending with complex combinations of sensor motor skills. The child relies on seeing, touching, sucking, feeling, and using their senses to learn things about themselves and the environment. Piaget(1969) calls this the sensorimotor stage to reflect his belief that knowledge is build up from sensory perception and motor actions .An important discovery during the sensorimotor stage is the concept of "object permanence”. Object permanence is the awareness that an object continues to exist even when it is not in view. After first year of exploration, the child exhibits repeating search as it searches for objects concealed in places found earlier, leading to object permanence towards the end of this stage. The child may also show evidence of deferred imitation,
References: Eysenick, M.W. (2000). Psychology; A Student’s Handbook Hove; Psychology Press Smith,P.K & Cowie ,H. (1991) Understanding Children’s Development Oxford Blackwell Publishing . Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press cited in Eysenick (2000) Durkin, K. (1995). Developmental Social Psychology; from infancy to old age. Oxford; Blackwell cited in Eysenick (2000) Wheldall, K., &Poborca, B. (1980).Conservation without Conversation; An Alternative, Non-Verbal Paradigm for Assessing Conservation of Liquid Quantity. British Journal of Psychology cited in Eysenick (2000) Bower, T.G.R (1982) Development in infancy .San Francisco; W.H. Freeman cited in Eysenick (2000) Flawell, J.H., Miller, P.H. & Miller, S.A. (1993). Cognitive Development (3rd Ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall Piaget, J., & Inhelder , B. (1969). The psychology of the child. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul