Cognitive Development - 1580 Words

Cognitive Development According to Piaget Cognitive development is defined as gradual orderly changes by which mental processes become more complex and sophisticated, or the scientific study of how human beings develop in certain orderly stages as they get older. The actual study of cognition refers to the process of knowing; it is the study of all mental activities related to acquiring, storing, and using knowledge (Microsoft, 2001, p.3). How we as humans develop cognitively has been thoroughly observed and researched by Jean Piaget. He was a cognitivist: he believed that our environment stimulates us to learn on our own (make our own intelligence). Piaget was a Swiss psychologist who had a major impact on educational theory in the†¦show more content†¦The final sub-stage is from eighteen to twenty-four months and is called mental combinations. This is when they start to pretend. They now have symbolic play where they imitate mom, dad, brother or sister, babysitter, etc. They can now remember the past and certain isolated events. Piaget s second stage of cognitive development is the Preoperational Stage and is from age two to six or seven years (Woolfolk, 2001). This is the stage where children really start to use symbolic representation. There are only two sub-stages here, but they last for longer amounts of times with more learning occurring in each. The first sub-stage is from two to three or four years and is called the preconceptual phase. At this stage children start to judge from their own experiences. However, the world still revolves around them; if they want it, it will happen (or so they think). They also think that others have access to their thoughts. Therefore, when children of this age start to talk about random ideas or people they know, they don t give specifics because they think others know exactly what or who they are talking about. In this stage, children are very egocentric. More than forty percent of the time, they talk about themselves. Their imagination in this stage is very active. They talk to inanimate objects (their toys, a rock, a stick, etc.). This is when they start to mix play with reality. They are afraid of monsters and fictional bad guys from their favorite cartoonShow MoreRelatedCognitive Development2089 Words   |  9 PagesCritically evaluate Piaget s stages of development This essay will state Piaget’s four stages of cognitive development. Cognitive development is the construction of thought processes, including remembering, problem solving, and decision-making, from childhood through  adolescence  to adulthood. Piaget’s hypothesis is that the four stages of cognitive development are; the sensorimotor stage, which ranges from birth to two years old. This essay will discuss aspects of this stage including; Object permanenceRead MoreThe Cognitive Development Of The Student1172 Words   |  5 Pagesthink about the cognitive development of the student. Two noted theorists, Piaget and Vygotsky, though they differ in their approach to cognitive development they commonly agreed that learning and development go hand in hand. Both theorists have great views, but I can relate more to Piaget. According to Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, â€Å"Cognitive development refers to how a person perceives, thinks and gain understanding of his or her world.† Cognitive development has 5 major areasRead MoreThe Stages Of Cognitive Development1290 Words   |  6 Pagesthe first psychologist to create a study of cognitive development that researchers and scientists still use today. 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Similar in scope to Piaget’s theory is Information Processing, in which human thinking is based on both mental hardware and mental software (KailRead MoreThe Four Stages Of Cognitive Development951 Words   |  4 PagesJean Piaget was the first psychologist to design a comprehensive model for the study cognitive development. This model explained how a child’s cognitive skills develop over their lifetime, which will eventually result in more of an adult way of thinking; or a more elaborate and logical way of thinking. Unlike other psychologists who were studying cognition, Piaget believed that children were not â€Å"tiny adults†, who had to eventually access a more complex way of thinking over time. Instead, he believedRead MorePsychology: Questions on Cognitive Development1557 Words   |  7 Pages__A__ 1. The briefest period of prenatal development is the: a. germinal stage b. embryonic stage c. fetal stage d. baby-making stage _C___ 2. 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Cognitive DevelopmentRead MoreCognitive Development And Development Of Thinking Across The Lifespan Essay791 Words   |  4 Pages Piaget describes Cognitive development as the development of thinking across the lifespan. He believes, that as children grow and their brains develop, and they move through multiple stages that are characterized by differences in their cognitive development. According to Piaget (1952), the first stage that any human being goes through is the schema stage, which he described as the foundation of where a child learns everything. The second stage is the transitional stage in which a child beginsRead MoreTheory of Cognitive Development and Children1854 Words   |  8 PagesDiscuss the concept of ‘constructivism’ (from Piaget’s theory of cognitive development). Use a mix of theory and research to back up your ideas about whether or not the child constructs his/her own development. The understanding of how children comprehend the world around them has been a highly researched part of cognitive development in Psychology. Jean Piaget was one of the first researchers to develop a theory suggesting that children understand the world around them by actively seeking information