Cognition and development
Outline Piaget’s thoughts on assimilation, accommodation and
equilibrium (4 marks)
Assimilation refers to the process that individuals interpret new information into
existing schemas. For example, a child who has a schema for ‘dog’ may identify
a new animal as a dog because it shares similar characteristics.
Accommodation occurs when individuals adjust their existing schemas to
incorporate new information that doesn’t fit into their current understanding.
Equilibrium, to Piaget, is the balance between assimilation and accommodation.
He believed that cognitive development occurs as children move between states
of equilibrium and disequilibrium.
Discuss Piaget’s theory of cognitive development (16 marks)
AO1 - Piaget’s theory of cognitive development suggests that children progress
through four key stages of intellectual development: the sensorimotor stage (0-2
years), the preoperational stage (2-7 years), the concrete operational stage (7-
11 years), and the formal operational stage (11+ years). During the
sensorimotor stage, infants develop object permanence—the understanding that
objects continue to exist even when not seen. In the preoperational stage,
children develop symbolic thinking, but they struggle with egocentrism and
conservation—the understanding that quantity doesn’t change despite changes
in shape or appearance. The concrete operational stage is marked by the ability
to perform logical operations on concrete objects, leading to a better
understanding of conservation and class inclusion. Finally, the formal operational
stage involves abstract thinking, allowing individuals to reason hypothetically
and solve problems systematically. Piaget suggested that cognitive development
occurs through the processes of assimilation, where children incorporate new
information into existing schemas, and accommodation, where schemas are
modified to incorporate new information. The process of equilibration helps
maintain balance between assimilation and accommodation as children adapt to
their environment.
AO3 – Contribution to education: Piaget’s theory has practical applications,
especially in education. He believed that children can only learn certain concepts
when they reach the right developmental stage. For instance, teaching abstract
reasoning to children in the preoperational stage may not work because they
aren’t cognitively ready. His theory also supports discovery learning, where
children explore ideas through hands-on activities. However, Piaget’s theory has
been criticized for being too Western-focused and not considering cultural
differences. Research shows that cognitive development can vary across
cultures, meaning Piaget’s stages may not apply everywhere. In some cultures,
children might develop cognitive skills earlier due to different social or
educational practices. This shows a limitation of Piaget’s theory when applied
outside Western contexts.
AO3 – Clear stages: Piaget’s theory of cognitive development has been
influential but also has some limitations. One strength is that his idea of children
going through specific stages provides a clear structure for understanding how
thinking develops over time. His theory has been supported by research showing
that children’s abilities do change with age. However, a major criticism is that
1
, Cognition and development
Piaget may have underestimated children's abilities, as some studies suggest
that young children can perform tasks earlier than he thought. Research has
shown that children may have better cognitive abilities younger.
AO3 – Limited methodological approach: Criticised for its limitations. His reliance
on qualitative methods, such as observations of children, can be argued less
rigorous. This makes it hard to generalise findings or account for inconsistencies
in children’s responses.
Piaget’s key studies
Three mountains task:
Aim: To investigate children’s ability to take the perspective of others
(egocentrism).
Method: Children were shown a model of three mountains with different features
and asked to describe what a doll, placed at different points around the model,
would see.
Strength: This study provides clear evidence for Piaget’s concept of egocentrism,
demonstrating how younger children struggle to adopt others' perspectives.
Weakness: The task may have been too complex for younger children, which
could have led to performance issues unrelated to cognitive abilities, limiting its
validity
The Conservation Task
Aim: To test children's understanding of conservation—the idea that quantity
remains the same despite changes in shape or appearance.
Method: Piaget showed children two identical containers filled with the same
amount of liquid. He then poured one container into a differently shaped
container and asked if the amount of liquid was still the same.
Strength: Provides strong support for Piaget’s theory that conservation develops
during the concrete operational stage.
Weakness: Some critics argue that Piaget underestimated children's abilities
because the tasks may have been culturally biased or not engaging enough for
younger children.
Object Permanence Study
Aim: To explore when infants develop object permanence (the understanding
that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen).
Method: Piaget observed infants’ reactions when objects were hidden from view.
Strength: Demonstrated a crucial milestone in cognitive development,
supporting Piaget’s ideas about the sensorimotor stage.
Weakness: Some argue that Piaget’s methods were too subjective, and later
studies suggest that infants may have object permanence earlier than Piaget
proposed.
The Class Inclusion Task
2
Outline Piaget’s thoughts on assimilation, accommodation and
equilibrium (4 marks)
Assimilation refers to the process that individuals interpret new information into
existing schemas. For example, a child who has a schema for ‘dog’ may identify
a new animal as a dog because it shares similar characteristics.
Accommodation occurs when individuals adjust their existing schemas to
incorporate new information that doesn’t fit into their current understanding.
Equilibrium, to Piaget, is the balance between assimilation and accommodation.
He believed that cognitive development occurs as children move between states
of equilibrium and disequilibrium.
Discuss Piaget’s theory of cognitive development (16 marks)
AO1 - Piaget’s theory of cognitive development suggests that children progress
through four key stages of intellectual development: the sensorimotor stage (0-2
years), the preoperational stage (2-7 years), the concrete operational stage (7-
11 years), and the formal operational stage (11+ years). During the
sensorimotor stage, infants develop object permanence—the understanding that
objects continue to exist even when not seen. In the preoperational stage,
children develop symbolic thinking, but they struggle with egocentrism and
conservation—the understanding that quantity doesn’t change despite changes
in shape or appearance. The concrete operational stage is marked by the ability
to perform logical operations on concrete objects, leading to a better
understanding of conservation and class inclusion. Finally, the formal operational
stage involves abstract thinking, allowing individuals to reason hypothetically
and solve problems systematically. Piaget suggested that cognitive development
occurs through the processes of assimilation, where children incorporate new
information into existing schemas, and accommodation, where schemas are
modified to incorporate new information. The process of equilibration helps
maintain balance between assimilation and accommodation as children adapt to
their environment.
AO3 – Contribution to education: Piaget’s theory has practical applications,
especially in education. He believed that children can only learn certain concepts
when they reach the right developmental stage. For instance, teaching abstract
reasoning to children in the preoperational stage may not work because they
aren’t cognitively ready. His theory also supports discovery learning, where
children explore ideas through hands-on activities. However, Piaget’s theory has
been criticized for being too Western-focused and not considering cultural
differences. Research shows that cognitive development can vary across
cultures, meaning Piaget’s stages may not apply everywhere. In some cultures,
children might develop cognitive skills earlier due to different social or
educational practices. This shows a limitation of Piaget’s theory when applied
outside Western contexts.
AO3 – Clear stages: Piaget’s theory of cognitive development has been
influential but also has some limitations. One strength is that his idea of children
going through specific stages provides a clear structure for understanding how
thinking develops over time. His theory has been supported by research showing
that children’s abilities do change with age. However, a major criticism is that
1
, Cognition and development
Piaget may have underestimated children's abilities, as some studies suggest
that young children can perform tasks earlier than he thought. Research has
shown that children may have better cognitive abilities younger.
AO3 – Limited methodological approach: Criticised for its limitations. His reliance
on qualitative methods, such as observations of children, can be argued less
rigorous. This makes it hard to generalise findings or account for inconsistencies
in children’s responses.
Piaget’s key studies
Three mountains task:
Aim: To investigate children’s ability to take the perspective of others
(egocentrism).
Method: Children were shown a model of three mountains with different features
and asked to describe what a doll, placed at different points around the model,
would see.
Strength: This study provides clear evidence for Piaget’s concept of egocentrism,
demonstrating how younger children struggle to adopt others' perspectives.
Weakness: The task may have been too complex for younger children, which
could have led to performance issues unrelated to cognitive abilities, limiting its
validity
The Conservation Task
Aim: To test children's understanding of conservation—the idea that quantity
remains the same despite changes in shape or appearance.
Method: Piaget showed children two identical containers filled with the same
amount of liquid. He then poured one container into a differently shaped
container and asked if the amount of liquid was still the same.
Strength: Provides strong support for Piaget’s theory that conservation develops
during the concrete operational stage.
Weakness: Some critics argue that Piaget underestimated children's abilities
because the tasks may have been culturally biased or not engaging enough for
younger children.
Object Permanence Study
Aim: To explore when infants develop object permanence (the understanding
that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen).
Method: Piaget observed infants’ reactions when objects were hidden from view.
Strength: Demonstrated a crucial milestone in cognitive development,
supporting Piaget’s ideas about the sensorimotor stage.
Weakness: Some argue that Piaget’s methods were too subjective, and later
studies suggest that infants may have object permanence earlier than Piaget
proposed.
The Class Inclusion Task
2
