Cognitive development

Question 1

Who was Piaget? Main belief?

Answer 1

All children are competent - the most influential developmentalist of 20th century

Question 2

What do children tend to focus on?

Answer 2

They focus exclusively on the perpetual features of an object, but they pass the appearance reality task - something looks like a rock but its a sponge

Question 3

What are the main concepts of Piaget’s theory?

Answer 3

The child as a scientist and actively constructs knowledge (constructivist approach) - the child can learn on its own not just from others.

Question 4

What does a child use to understand the world?

Answer 4

The child uses schemas which are. cognitive frameworks that forms the basis of organising actions and mental representations

Question 5

Schemas are always changing. Name the three processes that facilitate this.

Answer 5

Assimilation, accommodation, equilibration

Question 6

What is assimilation ?

Answer 6

Taking in information that is incorporated into existing schemes

Question 7

What is accommodation ?

Answer 7

Changing existing knowledge based on new knowledge, modifying schemes

Question 8

What is equilibration?

Answer 8

Balancing assimilation and accommodation to create stable understanding

Question 9

What are the four stages of cognitive development ?

Answer 9

Sensorimotor , Preoperational , Concrete operational , Formal operational