Piaget's Cognitive Development Stages

Study Notes

Sensorimotor Stage (0-2 years)
- Infants learn through senses and motor activities
- Object permanence: understanding that objects continue to exist even when out of sight
- Development of reflexes and habits
Preoperational Stage (2-7 years)
- Children use symbols and language to represent the world
- Egocentric thinking: difficulty taking other people's perspectives
- Centration: focusing on one aspect of a situation and neglecting others
Concrete Operational Stage (7-11 years)
- Children can think logically and solve problems using concrete objects
- Reversibility: understanding that actions can be reversed
- Conservation: understanding that quantities remain the same despite changes in appearance
Formal Operational Stage (11-15 years and beyond)
- Adolescents and adults can think abstractly and reason logically
- Hypothetical thinking: ability to consider possibilities and outcomes
- Ability to consider multiple perspectives and abstract concepts

Assimilation: the process of fitting new information into existing schemas
Accommodation: the process of changing existing schemas to fit new information
- Both processes are necessary for cognitive development and adaptation

Schema: a mental framework or concept that helps organize and make sense of the world
Schema development: the process of creating and refining schemas through experience and learning
Schema revision: the process of updating or changing schemas based on new information or experiences

Sensorimotor Stage (0-2 years): Infants learn through senses and motor activities, develop object permanence, and reflexes.
Preoperational Stage (2-7 years): Children use symbols and language, but exhibit egocentric thinking, centration, and lack of conservation.
Concrete Operational Stage (7-11 years): Children think logically, solve problems using concrete objects, understand reversibility, and conservation.
Formal Operational Stage (11-15 years and beyond): Adolescents and adults think abstractly, reason logically, and consider possibilities, outcomes, and multiple perspectives.

Assimilation: fitting new information into existing schemas.
Accommodation: changing existing schemas to fit new information, necessary for cognitive development and adaptation.

Schema: a mental framework or concept that helps organize and make sense of the world.
Schema development: creating and refining schemas through experience and learning.
Schema revision: updating or changing schemas based on new information or experiences.