Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development

• Piaget's theory of cognitive development describes how children construct their understanding of the world through processes such as assimilation and accommodation.

Assimilation

• Integrating new information into existing cognitive frameworks occurs during assimilation.
• A child might initially call a cat a "dog" until they learn the differences between the two.

Accommodation

• Modifying existing schemas to incorporate new information is accommodation.
• A child adjusts their understanding when they learn that not all four-legged animals are dogs.

Schemas

• Organized frameworks that help individuals make sense of experiences are schemas.
• These frameworks evolve, reflecting increasing complexity in understanding the world.

Sensorimotor Stage (Birth - 2 years)

• The sensorimotor stage in cognitive development involves the development of sensory and motor skills.

Reflexive Schemes

• Newborns exhibit involuntary reflexes.

Primary Circular Reactions

• Repetitive actions focused on the infant's own body occur.
• Example: thumb sucking.

Secondary Circular Reactions

• Actions are focused on external objects.
• Example: shaking a rattle to make noise.

Coordination of Secondary Circular Reactions

• Intentional behavior emerges.
• Example: reaching for a toy.

Tertiary Circular Reactions

• Exploration occurs through trial and error.
• Example: dropping objects to see what happens.

Mental Representation

• Holding images in mind allows for the A-not-B error.
• Infants search for an object in its original hiding place.

Critiques of Piaget’s Theory

• Research suggests infants may understand object permanence earlier than Piaget proposed.

Egocentrism in Preoperational Stage

• Displayed when children struggle to see perspectives other than their own.
• Evidenced in the three-mountain task.

Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory

• Emphasizes the importance of social interaction in learning.

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

• The range of tasks a child can perform with guidance but not independently.

Scaffolding

• Temporary support provided by a more knowledgeable other that is gradually removed as the child becomes more competent.

Private vs. Inner Speech

• Self-directed speech evolves into internalized thought processes.
• Crucial for problem-solving and cognitive development.

Memory Systems

• Include sensory, short-term, and long-term memory.

Sensory Memory

• The initial brief storage of sensory information.
• Lasts only a few seconds and allows for the processing of stimuli.

Short-Term Memory

• Temporary storage, with a capacity of about 7 items.
• Crucial for holding information for immediate use.

Long-Term Memory

• Permanent storage that includes explicit (declarative) and implicit (non-declarative) memory.
• Essential for retaining knowledge over time.

Explicit Memory

• Involves conscious recall of facts and events.
• Example: remembering a birthday party.

Implicit Memory

• Involves unconscious skills and tasks.
• Example: riding a bike.

Assessment Methods

• Include free recall, cued recall, and recognition.
• The hippocampus plays a key role in encoding new memories.

Infancy Memory

• Characterized by infantile amnesia.
• Individuals cannot recall memories from early childhood due to underdeveloped memory systems.

Childhood Memory

• Improves with age due to enhanced strategies, knowledge base, and processing speed.
• Allows for better retention and recall.

Adulthood/Aging Memory

• Older adults may experience the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon.
• They feel familiar with a word but cannot retrieve it.

Classical Conditioning

• Learning through association.
• A neutral stimulus becomes associated with a response.
• Example: Pavlov's dogs.

Operant Conditioning

• Learning through reinforcement and punishment.
• Example: Skinner's experiments with rats and pigeons.

Observational Learning

• Learning through imitation.
• Highlighted in Bandura’s Social Learning Theory.
• Individuals learn behaviors by observing others.

Intelligence Testing

• Mental Age (MA) reflects the level of cognitive ability.
• Chronological Age (CA) is the actual age of the individual.
• Used to calculate IQ.

IQ (Intelligence Quotient)

• A standardized score with an average of 100.
• Assesses cognitive abilities relative to peers.

Extremes of Intelligence

• Definitions of intellectual disability and giftedness exist.
• Gifted individuals typically score above 130 on IQ tests.

Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory

• Proposes three types of intelligence: analytical, creative, and practical.
• Each contributes to overall cognitive ability.

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences

• Identifies eight distinct types of intelligence.
• Examples: linguistic, spatial, and musical.
• Emphasizes the diversity of human capabilities.

Creativity

• The ability to generate novel and useful ideas.
• Essential for problem-solving and innovation.

Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

• The capacity to manage one's emotions and navigate social relationships effectively.
• Can influence personal and professional success.

Crystallized Intelligence

• Accumulated knowledge and skills that improve with age.
• Examples: vocabulary and general knowledge.

Fluid Intelligence

• Problem-solving and reasoning abilities that may decline with age.
• Highlights the differences in cognitive functioning over the lifespan.

Noam Chomsky’s Language Acquisition Device (LAD)

• Proposes that humans are born with an innate ability to acquire language.
• Facilitates rapid language development in early childhood.

Brain Regions Involved in language

• Broca’s area is associated with speech production.
• Wernicke’s area is linked to language comprehension.
• Both are critical for effective communication.

Phonology

• The study of sounds (phonemes) in language.
• Phonemes are the building blocks of speech.

Morphology

• The study of meaningful word parts (morphemes).
• Essential for understanding word formation and meaning.

Reading Strategies

• The whole language approach emphasizes recognizing whole words and using context.
• The phonics approach focuses on translating written symbols into sounds.
• Both are crucial for literacy development.

Language Errors

• Overextension and underextension illustrate common mistakes in early language use.
• Children apply words too broadly or narrowly, respectively.

Child-Directed Speech

• Language spoken in a higher pitch with simplified vocabulary and sentence structure.
• Captures infants' attention.
• Predicts greater language development by age two.

Explore Piaget's theory of cognitive development, detailing assimilation and accommodation. Understand how children develop schemas to make sense of the world. Cover the sensorimotor stage, reflexive schemes, and primary circular reactions.