piaget's theory of cognitive development

Question 1

What is cognitive development?

Answer 1

It describes the development of mental processes, specifically thinking, reasoning, and understanding of the world.

Question 2

Who developed the theory of cognitive development?

Answer 2

Jean Piaget (1926, 1950).

Question 3

How did Piaget describe children’s thinking compared to adults?

Answer 3

He proposed that children do not know less than adults but think in an entirely different way.

Question 4

What did Piaget do to explain children’s cognitive development?

Answer 4

He divided childhood into stages, with each stage representing the development of new ways of reasoning.

Question 5

What two aspects of learning did Piaget consider important?

Answer 5

The role of motivation in development and the question of how knowledge develops.

Question 6

What is a schema?

Answer 6

A mental framework of beliefs and expectations that influence cognitive processing, developed from experience.

Question 7

How does a child develop schemas over time?

Answer 7

As they grow, they construct more complex and detailed mental representations stored as schemas.

Question 8

What did Piaget say about the schemas children are born with?

Answer 8

They are born with a small number of schemas, just enough to allow them to interact with the world and others.

Question 9

What is the first schema infants develop?

Answer 9

The ‘me-schema,’ which contains all their knowledge about themselves.

Question 10

How does cognitive development progress in terms of schemas?

Answer 10

It involves the construction of progressively more detailed schemas for people, objects, and physical actions, leading to more abstract ideas like justice and morality.

Question 11

According to Piaget, when are we most motivated to learn?

Answer 11

When our existing schemas do not allow us to make sense of something new, leading to disequilibrium.

Question 12

What is disequilibrium?

Answer 12

A state of cognitive imbalance when existing schemas do not explain new experiences.

Question 13

How do we escape disequilibrium?

Answer 13

By exploring and developing our understanding to achieve equilibration, which is the preferred mental state.

Question 14

What are the two processes of learning according to Piaget?

Answer 14

Assimilation and accommodation.

Question 15

What is assimilation?

Answer 15

When a new experience is understood and new information is added to an existing schema to achieve equilibrium.

Question 16

What is accommodation?

Answer 16

When new experiences significantly challenge existing schemas, requiring the child to either change their schema drastically or create a completely new one.

Question 17

What is one strength of Piaget’s theory related to mental representations?

Answer 17

There is research support for the individual formation of mental representations.

Question 18

What study supports the idea of individual mental representations?

Answer 18

Howe et al. (1992) conducted a study with children aged 9-12, who investigated and discussed the movement of objects down a slope.

Question 19

What did Howe et al. (1992) find?

Answer 19

Children had increased understanding, but each developed unique mental representations (schemas) by picking up different facts and drawing slightly different conclusions.

Question 20

How does Howe et al. (1992) support Piaget’s theory?

Answer 20

It supports Piaget’s idea that children construct their own knowledge rather than simply absorbing information in a uniform way.

Question 21

What is another strength of Piaget’s theory?

Answer 21

It has been successfully applied in real-world teaching.

Question 22

How has Piaget’s theory influenced classroom learning?

Answer 22

Traditional passive learning has been replaced with activity-based learning, such as discovery learning and flipped learning.

Question 23

Why does a change in classroom teaching support Piaget’s theory?

Answer 23

It aligns with Piaget’s belief that children learn best through active engagement rather than passive memorization.

Question 24

How does Piaget’s theory impact students’ learning?

Answer 24

It encourages students to explore concepts themselves, leading to deeper, more meaningful knowledge representations.

Question 25

What is a counterpoint to Piaget’s view on discovery learning?

Answer 25

Lazonder & Harmsen (2016) found that discovery learning is most effective when guided by teachers.

Question 26

What did Lazonder & Harmsen (2016) suggest?

Answer 26

Input from others, rather than discovery learning alone, was the crucial factor in effective learning.

Question 27

What does Lazonder and Harmsen counterpoint suggest about Piaget’s theory?

Answer 27

If correct, it challenges Piaget’s emphasis on independent discovery learning as the most effective approach.

Question 28

What is a major limitation of Piaget’s theory?

Answer 28

It underestimates the role of others in cognitive development.

Question 29

How did Piaget view learning?

Answer 29

He saw it as an individual process, with others acting only as sources of information rather than active contributors to learning.

Question 30

What alternative theory contradicts Piaget’s view?

Answer 30

Vygotsky’s theory, which emphasizes the importance of social learning through interactions with others.

Question 31

How does Vygotsky’s theory differ from Piaget’s?

Answer 31

Vygotsky argued that knowledge is first shared between a mentor and a learner before being internalized, highlighting collaboration in learning.

Question 32

What does the comparison between Piaget and Vygotsky suggest?

Answer 32

Piaget’s theory may not fully explain how social influences contribute to learning, overlooking the role of teachers, peers, and mentors.

Question 33

What is an alternative explanation for learning that accounts for social influences?

Answer 33

Vygotsky’s theory, which emphasizes learning within a social context.

Question 34

What was Piaget’s main contribution to cognitive psychology?

Answer 34

Piaget argued that children do not simply know less than adults but think in qualitatively different ways. He proposed that cognitive development occurs in stages.

Question 35

What is a schema in Piaget’s theory?

Answer 35

A schema is a mental framework that helps individuals organize and interpret information. Children are born with basic schemas and develop more complex ones through experience.

Question 36

What motivates cognitive development according to Piaget?

Answer 36

Learning occurs when children experience disequilibrium (new information that does not fit existing schemas). To reduce discomfort, they engage in equilibration, modifying their knowledge.

Question 37

What is assimilation?

Answer 37

Assimilation occurs when a child incorporates new information into an existing schema without changing its structure. E.g., learning that a Chihuahua is also a dog.

Question 38

What is accommodation?

Answer 38

Accommodation happens when a child modifies or creates new schemas in response to dramatically new experiences.

Question 39

What research supports Piaget’s idea of individual cognitive development?

Answer 39

A: Howe (1992) found that children placed in groups to discuss an object moving down a slope increased their understanding, but their mental models remained individual. E: Supports Piaget’s theory that children construct their own mental representations rather than copying from others. E: However, this does not mean social interaction is unimportant, as Vygotsky suggests. L: Piaget’s view of individual discovery is supported but may not fully explain all learning.

Question 40

How has Piaget’s theory influenced education?

Answer 40

Piaget’s ideas led to discovery learning, where children explore actively rather than passively copying from a board. E: This is seen in child-centered classrooms where learning happens through active engagement, e.g., water and sand play in early years. E: However, Lourenco & Ratcliff (2016) found that discovery learning is less effective than direct instruction. L: Piaget’s theory has real-world benefits, but its application might not always be optimal.

Question 41

What is a key limitation of Piaget’s theory?

Answer 41

A: Piaget underestimated the role of others in learning, suggesting that children mostly learn independently. E: Vygotsky emphasized social interaction, arguing that knowledge is first intermental (between expert and learner) before becoming intramental (within the child). E: Piaget’s focus on individual discovery means his theory doesn’t fully explain how children learn in social contexts. L: This suggests Piaget’s theory is incomplete as it does not emphasize scaffolding and expert guidance.