cognitive development

Cognitive Cognitive DevelopmentDevelopment

Chapter 7Chapter 7

Does the child reason and remember Does the child reason and remember the same way that you do? How do the same way that you do? How do you know?you know?

If the answer to the first question is If the answer to the first question is “no,” make a list of some of the “no,” make a list of some of the specific differences between the way specific differences between the way that you think and the way that the that you think and the way that the child thinkschild thinks

Cognition – refers to the inner Cognition – refers to the inner processes and products of the mind processes and products of the mind that lead to “knowing”that lead to “knowing”

Three main approaches to cognitive Three main approaches to cognitive developmentdevelopment– Piaget’s cognitive developmental theoryPiaget’s cognitive developmental theory– Vygotsky’s sociocultural theoryVygotsky’s sociocultural theory– Information processingInformation processing

Imagine:Imagine:– You are playing with a six-month-old infant You are playing with a six-month-old infant

and suddenly leave the room to answer the and suddenly leave the room to answer the telephone.telephone.

– You take a four-year-old child’s small cup of You take a four-year-old child’s small cup of juice and empty it into a larger cup.juice and empty it into a larger cup.

– While trying to settle a fight over the TV While trying to settle a fight over the TV between a seven-year-old and a 12-year-between a seven-year-old and a 12-year-old, you flip a coin. The seven-year-old old, you flip a coin. The seven-year-old loses.loses.

Piaget’s Cognitive Piaget’s Cognitive Developmental TheoryDevelopmental Theory

Genetic epistemologyGenetic epistemology What is intelligence?What is intelligence?

– helps an organism adapthelps an organism adapt– Cognitive equilibriumCognitive equilibrium


Gaining Knowledge: Schemes and Gaining Knowledge: Schemes and ProcessesProcesses– Schemes: mental patterns Schemes: mental patterns

(thought/action)(thought/action)– Constructivist approachConstructivist approach


– AdaptationAdaptation Assimilation Assimilation Accommodation Accommodation EquilibrationEquilibration

– OrganizationOrganization


Stage theoryStage theory– Invariant and UniversalInvariant and Universal– Order is genetically determined, but Order is genetically determined, but

many factors affect the speedmany factors affect the speed– May not reach highest levelMay not reach highest level– Qualitatively different representational Qualitatively different representational

and reasoning abilitiesand reasoning abilities


The Sensorimotor Stage (Birth to 2 The Sensorimotor Stage (Birth to 2 years)years)– Coordinate sensory inputs and motor Coordinate sensory inputs and motor

skillsskills– Transition from being reflexive to Transition from being reflexive to

reflectivereflective


Sensorimotor StageSensorimotor Stage– Development of Object PermanenceDevelopment of Object Permanence

Objects continue to exist when they are no Objects continue to exist when they are no longer visible/detectablelonger visible/detectable

Appears by 8-12 months of ageAppears by 8-12 months of age– A-not-B error: search in the last place found, not A-not-B error: search in the last place found, not

where it was last seenwhere it was last seen

Complete by 18-24 monthsComplete by 18-24 months

You are playing with a six-month-old You are playing with a six-month-old infant and suddenly leave the room infant and suddenly leave the room to answer the telephone.to answer the telephone.


– Two important features of mature Two important features of mature thoughtthought symbolic/mental representationsymbolic/mental representation IntentionalityIntentionality

– Visual displacements Visual displacements – Invisible displacements Invisible displacements – Defer imitationDefer imitation– Make believe playMake believe play

Identifying SubstagesIdentifying Substages Juan accidentally pushes his stuffed toy and it Juan accidentally pushes his stuffed toy and it

makes a noise as it is squeezed. Juan laughs makes a noise as it is squeezed. Juan laughs and does it again, and again, and again.and does it again, and again, and again.

Linnea is sitting in her highchair. She holds Linnea is sitting in her highchair. She holds her right arm high above her head and drops her right arm high above her head and drops her spoon on the floor. Her mother giggles, her spoon on the floor. Her mother giggles, picks it up, and hands it to her. Linnea then picks it up, and hands it to her. Linnea then holds her right arm straight out from her body holds her right arm straight out from her body and drops her spoon. After her mother and drops her spoon. After her mother retrieves it, she holds her arm straight out in retrieves it, she holds her arm straight out in front of her and drops her spoon.front of her and drops her spoon.

Noelle wants to go outside to play. She is Noelle wants to go outside to play. She is carrying her cup of water in one hand and carrying her cup of water in one hand and her doll (it goes everywhere with her) in the her doll (it goes everywhere with her) in the other. She realizes that she cannot push the other. She realizes that she cannot push the door open because both of her hands are door open because both of her hands are full. Consequently, she places her doll under full. Consequently, she places her doll under her arm and uses her free hand to open the her arm and uses her free hand to open the door.door.

Lionel is watching his new little sister, Sybil, Lionel is watching his new little sister, Sybil, sleep. He notices that her burp cloth has sleep. He notices that her burp cloth has fallen off the changing table and is near her fallen off the changing table and is near her face. He reaches down to remove the burp face. He reaches down to remove the burp cloth and in doing so, the burp cloth gently cloth and in doing so, the burp cloth gently brushes Sybil’s face. Sybil turns her head brushes Sybil’s face. Sybil turns her head towards the burp cloth and opens her mouth.towards the burp cloth and opens her mouth.

Kendall and her mother play a game where Kendall and her mother play a game where they touch each other’s noses and giggle. they touch each other’s noses and giggle. Kendall’s mother touches her nose and then Kendall’s mother touches her nose and then Kendall touches her mother’s nose. One Kendall touches her mother’s nose. One time, Kendall’s mother places a time, Kendall’s mother places a handkerchief between her face and handkerchief between her face and Kendall’s face. Kendall swipes the Kendall’s face. Kendall swipes the handkerchief away with one hand and handkerchief away with one hand and touches her mother’s face with the other.touches her mother’s face with the other.

Isaac and his mother are playing a game of Isaac and his mother are playing a game of hide-and-seek. Isaac’s mother places his hide-and-seek. Isaac’s mother places his toy car under a pillow and Isaac giggles as toy car under a pillow and Isaac giggles as he retrieves it. One time Isaac’s mother he retrieves it. One time Isaac’s mother pretends to place the toy car under the pretends to place the toy car under the pillow but instead places it under the pillow but instead places it under the blanket. Isaac picks up the pillow and blanket. Isaac picks up the pillow and becomes upset when he realizes that the becomes upset when he realizes that the car isn’t there.car isn’t there.

Phil is just lying on his back when he Phil is just lying on his back when he manages to grasp his foot. He smiles manages to grasp his foot. He smiles and lets go. His mother watches as and lets go. His mother watches as he wiggles around until he manages he wiggles around until he manages to grasp his foot again.to grasp his foot again.


Challenges to Piaget’s Sensorimotor Challenges to Piaget’s Sensorimotor StageStage– Neo-nativism – Neo-nativism –

Innate knowledgeInnate knowledge Require less time/experienceRequire less time/experience Object permanence, memory Object permanence, memory

– BaillargeonBaillargeon Object permanenceObject permanence


– Theory theoriesTheory theoriesCombination of neo-nativist and Combination of neo-nativist and Piagetian perspectivePiagetian perspective– Infants are prepared at birth to Infants are prepared at birth to make sense of some informationmake sense of some information

–Beyond this, Piaget’s Beyond this, Piaget’s constructivist approach is constructivist approach is generally accurategenerally accurate


Preoperational Stage (2-7 years)Preoperational Stage (2-7 years)– Characterized more by what children Characterized more by what children

can’tcan’t do do– OperationOperation– Now mental what was once physical Now mental what was once physical


Preoperational Stage (con’t)Preoperational Stage (con’t)– Symbolic/ representational activitySymbolic/ representational activity– Make-believe playMake-believe play– Thinking is rigidThinking is rigid


Preoperational Stage (con’t)Preoperational Stage (con’t)– Illogical schemes – transductive Illogical schemes – transductive

reasoningreasoning– EgocentrismEgocentrism


Preoperational Stage (con’t)Preoperational Stage (con’t)– AnimismAnimism– Four characteristics of thoughtFour characteristics of thought

CenteredCentered Perception boundPerception bound IrreversibilityIrreversibility Focus on states rather than transformationsFocus on states rather than transformations


Preoperational Stage (con’t)Preoperational Stage (con’t)– You take a four-year-old child’s small You take a four-year-old child’s small

cup of juice and empty it into a larger cup of juice and empty it into a larger cup.cup.

– What do you think will happen? Why?What do you think will happen? Why?– Hierarchical classificationHierarchical classification

Class inclusion problemClass inclusion problem


Preoperational Stage (con’t)Preoperational Stage (con’t)– Challenges to the Preoperational StageChallenges to the Preoperational Stage

Egocentrism Egocentrism – FlavellFlavell

ExistenceExistence Need Need InferenceInference

– Two levels of perspective takingTwo levels of perspective taking Level 1Level 1 Level 2Level 2


Preoperational Stage (con’t)Preoperational Stage (con’t)– ChallengesChallenges

ConservationConservation Animism Animism Categorization Categorization

A Brief Vacation from A Brief Vacation from Piaget…Piaget…

Theory of MindTheory of Mind– children begin to understand that the children begin to understand that the

same world can be experienced in same world can be experienced in different ways by different people different ways by different people


Theory of Mind (con’t)Theory of Mind (con’t)– the ability to infer mental states in the ability to infer mental states in

others is proof that children have a others is proof that children have a theory of mind – which is theory of mind – which is a coherent a coherent understanding of their own and other’s understanding of their own and other’s mental livesmental lives

– Research with 2 y/oResearch with 2 y/o


Theory of mind (con’t)Theory of mind (con’t)– Henry Wellman (1990)Henry Wellman (1990)– False belief tasksFalse belief tasks


Theory of Mind (con’t)Theory of Mind (con’t)– Harris (1989) suggests that the Harris (1989) suggests that the

acquisition of a theory of mind involves acquisition of a theory of mind involves three major developments:three major developments: self-awarenessself-awareness the capacity for pretensethe capacity for pretense the ability to distinguish reality from the ability to distinguish reality from

pretensepretense

……Back to Piaget…Back to Piaget…

Concrete Operational Stage (7-11 Concrete Operational Stage (7-11 years)years)– logical, rule-bound, and integratedlogical, rule-bound, and integrated– limited to tangible things limited to tangible things – Piaget regarded conservation as the Piaget regarded conservation as the

single most important achievement of the single most important achievement of the concrete operational stage because it concrete operational stage because it provides clear evidence of provides clear evidence of operationsoperations DecentrationDecentration Reversibility Reversibility


Concrete Operational Stage (con’t)Concrete Operational Stage (con’t)– Horizontal decalageHorizontal decalage– More adept at ClassificationMore adept at Classification– Mental seriationMental seriation– Challenges – experienceChallenges – experience


Formal Operational Stage (11+)Formal Operational Stage (11+)– no longer earthbound and concrete no longer earthbound and concrete – abstract and speculative abstract and speculative – While trying to settle a fight over the TV While trying to settle a fight over the TV

between a seven-year-old and a 12-year-old, between a seven-year-old and a 12-year-old, you flip a coin. The seven-year-old loses.you flip a coin. The seven-year-old loses.

– can now evaluate short and long range can now evaluate short and long range consequencesconsequences

– necessary for achieving identity, formulating necessary for achieving identity, formulating ideological goals, and for selecting an ideological goals, and for selecting an occupationoccupation


Formal Operational Stage (con’t)Formal Operational Stage (con’t)– Hypothetico-deductive reasoningHypothetico-deductive reasoning– Reflective thinkingReflective thinking– Interpropositional logicInterpropositional logic


Formal Operational Stage (con’t)Formal Operational Stage (con’t)– Limitations to Formal Operational Limitations to Formal Operational

ThoughtThought Adolescent EgocentrismAdolescent Egocentrism

– Imaginary audienceImaginary audience– Personal fablePersonal fable

Challenges to Piaget’s Challenges to Piaget’s TheoryTheory

Underestimated children’s capabilitiesUnderestimated children’s capabilities Failed to distinguish competence from Failed to distinguish competence from

performanceperformance Does cognitive development occur in Does cognitive development occur in

stages?stages? Does Piaget “explain” cognitive Does Piaget “explain” cognitive

development?development? Little attention to social and cultural Little attention to social and cultural

influencesinfluences

Strengths of Piaget’s TheoryStrengths of Piaget’s Theory

Vivid and detailed description of Vivid and detailed description of cognitive developmentcognitive development

Highlight interactive nature of Highlight interactive nature of cognition and environmentcognition and environment

Children are active constructors of Children are active constructors of knowledgeknowledge

VygotskyVygotsky

the child and the environment work the child and the environment work together to shape cognition in together to shape cognition in culturally adaptive waysculturally adaptive ways

development proceeds through development proceeds through social interaction and entails social interaction and entails gradual gradual internalizationinternalization of cultural of cultural knowledge and processes for knowledge and processes for manipulating thoughtmanipulating thought

Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Vygotsky’s Sociocultural PerspectivePerspective

LanguageLanguage– Piaget Piaget egocentric speech egocentric speech– Vygotsky Vygotsky self-guidance and self- self-guidance and self-

direction direction – Private speech Private speech inner speech inner speech


Zone of proximal developmentZone of proximal development Two important characteristicsTwo important characteristics

– IntersubjectivityIntersubjectivity– ScaffoldingScaffolding


Evidence for social origins of Evidence for social origins of cognitive development?cognitive development?

Vygotsky vs. Piaget?Vygotsky vs. Piaget?

Agreed children are active Agreed children are active constructors of knowledgeconstructors of knowledge

Vygotsky’s Vygotsky’s wide variation of wide variation of cognitive skills across culturescognitive skills across cultures

Piaget Piaget universal cognitive change universal cognitive change

Vygotsky vs. Piaget?Vygotsky vs. Piaget?

Vygotsky’s theory doesn’t give us Vygotsky’s theory doesn’t give us everythingeverything

Vygotsky placed a huge emphasis Vygotsky placed a huge emphasis on languageon language

cognitive development

Documents

cognitive developmentchapter

monthold infant

burp cloth

right arm high

cup of water

larger cup

door open

child thinkscognition