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Child Developmental Studies : Piaget

Terms in this set (37)

intelligence
adaptive, basic life function
goal of intelligence
establishment and maintenance of cognitive equillibrium
cognitive equillibrium
understanding the world around you from information you already know
kids are:
active, motivated learners
kids construct:
their own knowledge, but within the confines of what they already know
schemes
actions or mental representations that organize knowledge
cognitive development
the development of increasingly complex schemes
adaptation
a method of constructing and modifying schemes; done by assimilation and accomodation
assimilation
a process in adaptation of the child's schemes; 'files' new information into previously existing schemes
accomodation
a process in adaptation of the child's schemes; new information doesn't fit into previously existing schemes
how piaget studies infant intelligence
his own children; longitudinal, naturalistic observation, experimental manipulation
cons of piaget studying his own children
sample size is small, genetic similarity, bias
sensorimotor stage
0-2 years overall, accomplishes the beginnings of symbolic thought (skills: imitation, deferred imitation, object permanence)
sensorimotor substage 1
0-1 month, 'mindless' exercising of reflexes (reflex activity)
sensorimotor substage 2
1-4 months, replicating interesting body-related events (primary circular reactions)
sensorimotor substage 3
4-8 months, replicating interesting object-related events (secondary circular reactions)
sensorimotor substage 4
8-12 months, intentional/planned behaviour (coordination of secondary schemes)
sensorimotor substage 5
12-18 months, recreates interesting events in new ways, develops trial and error exploratory schemes (tertiary circular reactions)
sensorimotor substage 6
18-24 months, schemes 'go mental' and no more trial and error is needed (symbolic problem solving)
development of object permanence
1/2. no evidence of searching
3. search unless it can't be seen
4. search, but a not b errors
5. no more a not b errors, but can't handle invisible displacements
6. success!
critiques of sensorimotor stage
replication issues for imitation and memory (habituation and dishabituation), are object permanence tasks too difficult?
Baillargeon's Experiments
evidence of object permanence at 4.5 months (box and 180 degrees), babies looked longer and interested at the impossible event occurring or 3.5 months with the impossible carrot event.
preoperational stage
2-7 years
strengths of preoperational thought
internal problem solving, language use, pretend play (symbolic function)
benefits of symbolic function
speed of problem solving, scope of cognitive activity, communication of ideas
weaknesses of preoperational thoughts
illogical, rigid thinking, insensitive to inconsistencies, focused on superficial aspects of problems, egocentric (intuitive thinking)
specific deficiencies of preoperational thought
animism, egocentrism (three mountain task), centration (conservation and categorization)
conservation
understanding number, volume, mass, length, and weight can be conserved even though the most salient feature of the situation is different
centration
focus on the single most salient feature of the situation
categorization
structure and logic of classes; an object can belong to multiple classes, subclass more useful than superordinate class
critiques of the preoperational stage
egocentrism (some 2-3 year old adjust to others perspectives, 4-5 year olds pass the sally-ann task), conservation tasks are influenced by culture and experience
concrete operations stage
7-11 years, can now use mental operations to solve problems, can use decentering and reversibility
shortcomings of concrete operational stage
logic can only be applied to real-world objects and events, can't solve abstract problems, can't handle contrary to-fact premises ('lets just say tigers were humans'), poor systematic (mental) problem solving (organizing the sticks to form a staircase)
formal operations stage
11+ years, achieves hpothetico-deductive (abstract) reasoning (algebra, 'whos the tallest problem', contrary to fact problems) and systematic problem solving (pendulum problem)
critiques of formal operations stage
overestimation (results of the pendulum task as well as other tasks importance of interest and expertise play a role)
pros of piagets theory
founded discipline of cognitive development (explanation not just descripton), convinced us kids are curious, active explorers, generally accurate on how kids of different ages think
cons of piagets theory
fails to distinguish competence from cognitive performance and is vague as to mechanism (what maturational changes are necessary to move through the stages?)
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