11.1.1

Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development 1

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Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development: Sensorimotor

Piaget summarised four distinct stages of development of cognition (thinking). They are based on intellectual development and how they correlate with age.

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Four stages of development

  • The four stages are:
    • Sensorimotor.
    • Preoperational.
    • Concrete operational.
    • Formal operational.
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Sensorimotor (0-2 years)

  • The keyword here is sensory.
  • Babies take in information via their five senses (sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste).
  • Through these five senses, babies begin to develop their understanding of the world.
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Sensorimotor (0-2 years) cont.

  • Eventually, object permanence is developed.
  • This is the concept where babies understand that an object is still there even though they cannot see them.
  • For example, if a parent hides a toy in a box or if the parent leaves the room, they still exist in the mind of the child.

Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development: Pre-operational

Piaget summarised four distinct stages of development of cognition (thinking). They are based on intellectual development and how they correlate with age.

Illustrative background for Pre-operational (2-7 years)Illustrative background for Pre-operational (2-7 years) ?? "content

Pre-operational (2-7 years)

  • Children develop three important concepts:
    • Egocentrism.
    • Irreversibility.
    • Centration.
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Egocentrism

  • Egocentrism is when a child can only take the viewpoint of their own.
  • They cannot see the perspective of another person.
    • This was exemplified in the three mountain task.
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Irreversibility

  • Irreversibility is when a child does not understand that certain actions cannot be undone.
    • For example, if a paper is torn in two or a toy is broken, it cannot be put together again.
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Centration

  • Centration is when a child focuses on certain parts of a task; they do not see it as a whole.
    • For example, a child that asked to group animals into categories may only focus on the colour of the animal rather than the size, amount of legs, species, if they have wings, etc.
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Pre-operational (2-7 years) cont.

  • Additionally, language begins to develop and children can communicate more effectively.
  • But they still make mistakes as they develop their schema.
    • For example, a child may see a baby koala at the zoo and call it a puppy. This is because in their mind, all baby animals are called puppies.

Jump to other topics

1Social Influence

2Memory

3Attachment

4Psychopathology

5Approaches in Psychology

6Biopsychology

7Research Methods

8Issues & Debates in Psychology (A2 only)

9Option 1: Relationships (A2 only)

10Option 1: Gender (A2 only)

11Option 1: Cognition & Development (A2 only)

12Option 2: Schizophrenia (A2 only)

13Option 2: Eating Behaviour (A2 only)

14Option 2: Stress (A2 only)

15Option 3: Aggression (A2 only)

16Option 3: Forensic Psychology (A2 only)

17Option 3: Addiction (A2 only)

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