Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development
Piaget proposed a stage theory (development that follows a fixed invariant order of pattern. The behaviour In question
gets better by the stage).
Piaget believed this was universal, the same for everyone all around the world.
He believed that intellectual development occurs through active interactions with the world, in a process of stages.
The 4 stages!
Sensory motor
-Birth-2years
Only knows world via immediate senses, baby can make sense of their surroundings and place objects into their schemas in
their minds.
Body schema- recognises existence (mirror)
Motor coordination- learns to coordinate different body parts.
Object permanence- knows an object or person still exists If they can not be seen or heard. (8-12 months)
Pre operational
-2-7 years
Animism- treat inanimate objects as if they are alive and have feelings.
Lack reversibility- child is unable to think about things in reverse order. Example child knows she has a sister but
doesn’t understand that her sister has a sister.
Egocentrism- can only see things from their/your own point of view, doesn’t understand what someone else sees. (3
mountain experiment)
At the end of this stage they are able to de-centre, meaning they now understand the world is shared with others and can
understand what other people see.
Concrete operational
-7-11 years
Over comes egocentrism, animism is no longer present and reversibility develops.
Linguistic humour- when children start understanding and enjoying word games and double meaning. (Tell a joke over
and over)
Seriation- ability to put things into rank order. (smallest to largest)
Conservation- able to tell something appears different but stays the same (conservation of liquid)
Formal operational
From 11 years +
Can think about and solve abstract problems.
Hypothetical thinking
can develop general principles that they can apply to other situations.
Criticisms
Reductionist ‘all children go through the same stage’ (viewing from simple perspective)
Ignores a more holistic view that many other factors contribute to learning (culture, parents)
Teachers role in children’s learning.
Too complicated for children to understand
Only half adults actually reach formal operational stage not capable of abstract thinking.
Schemas -International representations of specific objects or mental action based on experiences.
•basic building blocks, enables an individual to interact with and understand the world.
•babies are born with certain reflex action schemas eg sucking.
•new schemas continue to develop and increase in complexity.
It’s like a tab in your brain that opens up for something new you learn.
Piaget proposed a stage theory (development that follows a fixed invariant order of pattern. The behaviour In question
gets better by the stage).
Piaget believed this was universal, the same for everyone all around the world.
He believed that intellectual development occurs through active interactions with the world, in a process of stages.
The 4 stages!
Sensory motor
-Birth-2years
Only knows world via immediate senses, baby can make sense of their surroundings and place objects into their schemas in
their minds.
Body schema- recognises existence (mirror)
Motor coordination- learns to coordinate different body parts.
Object permanence- knows an object or person still exists If they can not be seen or heard. (8-12 months)
Pre operational
-2-7 years
Animism- treat inanimate objects as if they are alive and have feelings.
Lack reversibility- child is unable to think about things in reverse order. Example child knows she has a sister but
doesn’t understand that her sister has a sister.
Egocentrism- can only see things from their/your own point of view, doesn’t understand what someone else sees. (3
mountain experiment)
At the end of this stage they are able to de-centre, meaning they now understand the world is shared with others and can
understand what other people see.
Concrete operational
-7-11 years
Over comes egocentrism, animism is no longer present and reversibility develops.
Linguistic humour- when children start understanding and enjoying word games and double meaning. (Tell a joke over
and over)
Seriation- ability to put things into rank order. (smallest to largest)
Conservation- able to tell something appears different but stays the same (conservation of liquid)
Formal operational
From 11 years +
Can think about and solve abstract problems.
Hypothetical thinking
can develop general principles that they can apply to other situations.
Criticisms
Reductionist ‘all children go through the same stage’ (viewing from simple perspective)
Ignores a more holistic view that many other factors contribute to learning (culture, parents)
Teachers role in children’s learning.
Too complicated for children to understand
Only half adults actually reach formal operational stage not capable of abstract thinking.
Schemas -International representations of specific objects or mental action based on experiences.
•basic building blocks, enables an individual to interact with and understand the world.
•babies are born with certain reflex action schemas eg sucking.
•new schemas continue to develop and increase in complexity.
It’s like a tab in your brain that opens up for something new you learn.
