18 Questions
What did Piaget define as 'a cohesive, repeatable action sequence possessing component actions that are tightly interconnected and governed by a core meaning'?
Schema
When adolescents can deal with hypothetical problems with many possible solutions, according to Piaget, what cognitive stage have they reached?
Formal operational thought
What sensation arises when individuals face a new situation that they cannot explain in terms of existing schemas?
Cognitive conflict
What term is used to describe the process of changing mental models to better match the world?
Accommodation
According to Piaget, what is the motivation to learn triggered by?
Disequilibrium
According to Piaget, what is required to get back to a state of equilibrium when faced with contradictory views?
Adapting and modifying existing schemas
In which stage of Erikson's psychosocial development would the conflict between industry and inferiority typically occur?
Industry vs. Inferiority (6-11 years)
Which stage is introspection replaced by paying attention to 'loss of capacities and disintegration' in Erikson's psychosocial development theory?
Ego integrity vs. despair
What process involves using existing mental models to solve new experiences according to Piaget's theory?
Assimilation
'A way of organizing knowledge' is best described by which term in the context of cognitive development?
Schema
In cognitive development, what refers to the child holding two contradictory views that cannot both be true?
Disequilibrium
According to Piaget's theory, what is the process of changing existing schemas to solve new experiences?
Accommodation
At what age range do children begin to think logically about concrete events according to Piaget's theory of cognitive development?
7-11 years
Which stage of Piaget's theory is characterized by toddlers and young children acquiring the ability to internally represent the world through language and mental imagery?
Pre-operational Stage
What is the major characteristic of the Sensorimotor Stage in Piaget's theory of cognitive development?
Understanding the permanence of objects
Which stage of Piaget's theory involves children being less egocentric and beginning to consider others' perspectives?
Concrete operational stage
What does the ability to make one thing stand for something other than itself represent in Piaget's theory of cognitive development?
Thinking about things symbolically in the Pre-operational Stage
During which stage of Piaget's theory can children mentally reverse things?
Concrete operational stage
Study Notes
Formal Operational Thought
- Characterized by being entirely freed from physical and perceptual constraints
- Ability to follow the form of an argument without needing specific examples
- Can deal with hypothetical problems with many possible solutions
Schemas
- Defined by Piaget as "a cohesive, repeatable action sequence possessing component actions that are tightly interconnected and governed by a core meaning"
- Basic building blocks of intelligent behavior, a way of organizing knowledge
- Can be thought of as "units" of knowledge, each relating to one aspect of the world, including objects, actions, and abstract concepts
Equilibration and Disequilibrium
- When existing schemas can explain what we perceive, we are in a state of equilibration
- When we encounter a new situation that we cannot explain, it creates disequilibrium, an unpleasant sensation that motivates us to learn
- Disequilibrium is resolved by modifying existing schemas to learn and adapt to the new situation
Adaptation and Schema Change
- Adaptation is the process of changing mental models of the world to match reality
- Brought about by assimilation (solving new experiences using existing schemata) and accommodation (changing existing schemata to solve new experiences)
- The child is seen as an active participant in their own development, rather than a passive recipient of biological or environmental influences
Jean Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development
Sensorimotor Stage (birth – 2 years)
- Infant learns about the world through senses and actions
- Emergence of the general symbolic function, capacity to represent the world mentally
- Infant understands object permanence at around 8 months and will search for disappeared objects
Pre-operational Stage (2 years – 7 years)
- Toddler acquires ability to internally represent the world through language and mental imagery
- Ability to think about things symbolically, using one thing to stand for another
Concrete Operational Stage (7 years – 11 years)
- Child thinks logically about concrete events
- Ability to mentally reverse things, such as picturing a ball of plasticine returning to its original shape
- Decreased egocentricity, ability to think about how others might think and feel
Formal Operational Stage (age 12 years and over)
- Concrete operations are carried out on things, whereas formal operations are carried out on ideas
Test your knowledge on Piaget's theory of cognitive development, which includes concepts such as assimilation, accommodation, and equilibration. Learn about how children modify their schemas to adapt to new situations.
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