Piaget Theory of Cognitive Development

Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development Theory

Piaget noted through his studies that there are stages that are pivotal to the development of cognition. What are the stages of cognitive development according to Piaget? -- sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and the formal operational stage.

According to Piaget’s stages of cognitive development, a child who misses a stage is in danger of improper development. However, due to individual differences, children may reach one stage to another at a different pace.

The Sensorimotor Stage (0–2)

In the earliest years, up to age two, a child’s mind is preoccupied with learning about the world around them. Loads of noises and sights are like adding pieces to a puzzle to a new and forming mind. The sensorimotor stage is when infants use their senses and actions to help them discover the world. For example, have you noticed that babies put almost anything in their mouths? They are exploring through their senses!

• The infant has not learned and stored a mental picture of the existing world. They also lack object permanence (the knowledge that an object is still there even if you can’t see it).

Fig. 1 The sensorimotor stage is about identifying things through manipulation.

The Pre-operational Stage (2–7 years)

At the ages of two and seven, a child can still not use proper logic and reasoning to solve problems. The child understands the world as only they can understand it at this age. Speaking or garbling at this age is common and the child’s way to communicate. Physical actions are also a way of discovery, such as using blocks to play with. Three important functions occur within this stage or window of time -- general symbolic function, animism, and egocentrism.

• General symbolic function develops in this stage and refers to representing objects that are not seen mentally (A child pretends to pour tea into a cup for their teddies having a tea party).

• This stage gives birth to animism in children, making them think that non-animated objects also talk and have feelings like us ( It is raining because the clouds are sad and crying).

• Egocentrism develops in this stage as well, in which the child thinks that everyone around them experiences and feels from the same perspective as them.

The Concrete Operational Stage (7–11 years)

Now, at the concrete operational stage, the child can think more logically and problem-solve concrete events or events that can be perceived through vision. Here is where the concept of conservation develops. Conservation is the knowledge that something is still the same quantity even if its appearance changes.

As schemas begin to build within the cognition of children at these ages, class inclusion is also developed. Class inclusion means that the child can now classify sub-categorical objects under a higher category, such as types of animals.

The Formal Operational Stage (11+)

How is the formal operational stage any different from the concrete operational stage? The formal operational stage is when a child can think internally about issues requiring theoretical and abstract reasoning, such as philosophical issues, which contrasts with the concrete operational stage (issues are being perceived only through what is seen).

Application of Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development

The basic components of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development are -- schemas and the adaption process.

Schemas are mental representations of the world or objects around us that can be called small internal scripts based on our life experiences.

The adaptation process is how learning and cognitive development occur. The child meets the situational demands by transitioning from one stage to another. The adaptation process is explained via assimilation, accommodation, and equilibrium.

• Assimilation refers to using the existing schemas to understand new situations. An example would be a child who has seen clowns who may believe that every bald man with some curly hair on the side of their head is a clown.

• Accommodation is when existing schemes are altered according to the new situation. The father will explain to the child that any bald man with curly side hair may look like a clown, but unless he wears a clown costume or does silly things to make people laugh, he is not a clown. As a result, the child will adopt a new standard image of the clown.

• Equilibrium refers to a balance between old and new information (assimilation and accommodation). Equilibrium helps in progressing between the stages of cognitive development.

Evaluation of Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development

The inter-rated reliability of Piaget’s theory is low, as he conducted the study through naturalistic observation of his children (biased results) and interviews with adolescents. He didn’t have another observer working with him to confirm his findings, which could have increased the reliability of his conclusions.

In Piaget’s theory, language is secondary to the action. Vygotsky (1978) argues (testing Piaget’s study) that the development of thought or reasoning goes in hand with language development. According to Vygotsky, reasoning has more links to communicating with other people than with the material world.

How does Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive development compare to Piaget’s?

Piaget’s theory of cognitive development is about how children acquire knowledge and intelligence. Children pass through four stages of cognitive development, irrespective of their culture and gender. In contrast, Vygotsky suggested that social and cultural factors play an essential role in a child’s cognitive development.

Importance of Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development

Piaget felt that children were not passive recipients of knowledge but were constantly investigating and experimenting as they built their understanding of how the world works. Many researchers after Piaget used his ideas for further research and began better understanding children's cognitive development. His ideas have mainly benefited the field of education, such as discovery learning, and brought practical ways of communicating well with children.