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 * Cognitive Development **

Cognitive development is the study of knowledge and how humans learn to use it for problem solving, remembering, and decision-making. We, as humans, gradually learn from childhood through adolescence and adulthood how to acquire, construct, and use knowledge. From childhood to adulthood, our level of information increases drastically.

Jean Piaget, a Swiss developmental psychologist and philosopher, is most known for his theory of cognitive development. Piaget researched children extensively in their natural environments before publishing his theory in 1952. Assimilation and accommodation are terms in which Piaget discovered through his research. When new information is obtained by connecting it with past experiences assimilation occurs. Accommodation happens when the schema needs to change in order to house new information. Piaget came to the conclusion that cognitive development needs to be an equilibration, where assimilation and accommodation are constantly fighting to be in balance with each other.

According to Piaget, cognitive development happens in four stages, each stage needs to happen in the correct order, and the stages build off what is learned in the previous stage. The four stages of cognitive development are: sensorimotor (infancy), pre-operational (toddler and early childhood), concrete operational (elementary and early adolescence), and formal operational (adolescence and adulthood).
 * 1) Sensorimotor Stage (0-24 months): This individual stage has six sub-stages: reflexive (0-2 months), primary circular reactions (2-4 months), secondary circular reactions (4-8 months), coordination of secondary reactions (8-12 months), tertiary circular reactions (12-18 months), and invention of new means through mental combination (18-24 months). During this stage the child is gaining knowledge about the world by interacting with and experiencing new events. Motor skills show intelligence rather than the use of symbols. Towards the end of the stage, physical development helps the child develop intellectual abilities like language.
 * 2) Pre-Operational Stage (2-7 years): This stage has two sub-stages: pre-operational phase (2-4 years) and intuitive phase (4-7 years). Throughout this stage in a child’s life intelligence is shown through symbols and language is enhanced. Children also develop imagination and memory. However, their imagination is more eccentric and illogical. Children within this stage are very egocentric as well.
 * 3) Concrete Operational Stage (7-12 years): This stageas seven different conversation areas: number, length, liquid, mass, weight, area, and volume. Children in this stage are able to think logically, have intelligent conversations, manipulate symbols (letters, numbers, etc.), and organize information.
 * 4) Formal Operational Stage (12+ years): In this stage, intelligence is expressed through the combination of the logical use of symbols and abstract concepts and ideas. In the beginning part of this stage, children return to their egocentric attitudes.





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Britany Sweet, page created on February 1, 2013.

=// Webliography //=

Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development

Stages of Intellectual Development In Children and Teenagers

Cognitive Development

Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development - Wiki

Piaget's Stages of Development