The theory is a description of the stages through which children undergo during mental development. Piaget’s ideology not only provides an understanding on the acquisition of knowledge among children, but also the comprehension of intelligence. Various concepts are used to describe the theory: Schemas, assimilation, disequilibrium and accommodation. Schemas are description of the physical and mental acts involved in the process of discovering and understanding ( Piaget, 1964) . Assimilation process involves the absorption of information into schemas that already exists within us. The accommodation concept involves the alteration of our current schemas in regards to newly consumed information. Equilibration on the other hand is the balance attained between accommodation and assimilation by children during their development. Piaget’s cognitive development theory should be extensively studied to comprehend its processes during child development.
Children’s growth and development revolves around constant learning. They often act like scientists, who are always curious towards discovering and developing ideologies. Knowledge is continually accumulated and built upon as time passes by. Piaget believed humans often go through cognitive developmental processes throughout their lifetime. Various stages are often involved. During these periods, individuals develop physically, emotionally and mentally. Cognitive developments are often associated with constant changes in mental abilities and processes. Piaget believes initial brain developments revolve around actions, which later evolve to alterations in mental processes. Each and every growth stage insinuated by Piaget is directed towards explaining the distinct characteristics of children based on their age.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Infant Walking
Physical activities among humans often emerge from a trial and era perspective. Individuals often depend on their cognitive abilities to determine their ability in engaging and maintaining newly developed skills. The sensorimotor stage is the initial developmental phase, where children use inbuilt abilities and skills like listening, sucking, looking and grasping. These activities often direct them towards determining activities occurring around their environment. Children fully experience acquire knowledge and experience the physical environment via their motor and senses movements. Active interactions often develop the cognitive functions of individuals. This stage takes approximately 2 years due to disequilibrium in their cognitive functions. Various sub-stages are stratified under sensorimotor stage.
Sensorimotor Sub-stages
The reflex sub stage lasts for about a month. The child is exposed to environmental conditions that often leave it aware through inbuilt reflexes ( Huitt, 2003) . The preceding circular reactions period involves the coordination of newly found schemas and senses. Secondary circular reactions further the process by increasing the child’s focus on environmental features. Here, the child begins to demonstrate movements like sitting, touching, crawling or trying to walk by seeking support on objects. Here, the cognitive disequilibrium that previously altered the child’s physical capabilities is beginning to adapt in the newly developed schemas. Coordination reactions, which lasts for approximately 5 months after the 8 th month since the child’s birth is crucial. The actions portrayed during this period are clearly intentional. Cognitive disequilibrium has begun losing its power since the child has become familiar with the unique schemas that previously challenged its cognitive abilities. Physical activities become easily undertaken during this period.
The preoperational stage is the second stage of child development – it begins after the child has attained 2 years. The developmental processes acquired during this process last for approximately five years. Children engage in symbolism through play, and also learn the manipulation of symbols. Despite the significance of the cognitive developments associated with this stage, children are not able to comprehend complex logic. Language acquisition is also associated with this level of growth. Children also learn to depict right versus wrong based on the activities presented in their physical environment. Egocentrism is also understood during this stage. Children are able to make decisions based on their cognitive judgments, even when the perspectives are altered. They often believe things cannot change over time but still maintain their initial properties.
The concrete operational stage is the third in child development, and lasts up to age 11. Children mostly develop logical thought patterns during this period. Sophisticated thinking and logic are extensively built during this period. The stage is obliged to bridging the gap between initial developmental stages and that which revolves around hypothetical and abstract reasoning. Piaget purports that children during this period are able to embrace inductive logic. They are able to transition from a particular experience to principality. Children’s cognitive developments have been tremendously boosted to a level where they can decipher factors that influence their physical well-being ( Hummel, 2003) . Reversibility is also comprehended during this stage – individuals are able to comprehend the ability of reversing actions. Relationships can be effectively rearranged into mental stratifications.
Formal operational strategy begins at 12 years and continues until adulthood. During this period, complexities emerge around thinking. Children can easily comprehend theoretical and abstract concepts and develop solutions for them. The main skills developed during this stage are organized planning, deductive reasoning and logical thought patterns. Individuals are able to use common principles when determining a specific outcome. Mathematics and science often revolve around this mode of reasoning. Abstract thinking is often associated with the development of a cognitive pattern where individuals are now able to assess and determine the possible outcome in regards to a particular physical condition ( Piaget, 1964) . Problem solving practices are also embraced during formal operational strategy. The trial and error stages of solving complex solutions leads to the development of a cognitive equilibrium based on the newly developed schemas.
Infant Social Development
Social development is vital for human development. Children often go through a series of stages that leads to the development of social prowess. Through learning speech, individuals are able to effectively interact with their peers. Cognitive development ensures individuals are able to comprehend the significance of interactions. Piaget purports that mental disequilibrium is often combated through trial and error processes when learning conversation skills. Children’s cognitive self is always directed towards curiosity. They often engage in activities that tremendously improve their ability to communicate fluently.
Cognitive development is significant process in humans. Children are able to fully develop to their full potential through the processes experienced during mental stabilization. Cognitive equilibrium is necessary for ensuring all learned activities become ingrained in an individual’s day-to-day acts. Imbalance is often depicted during the initial stages of activity learning; however, further progress leads to expertise. Children absorb the physical signals presented to them by the physical environment since their birth. Piaget has creatively laid out the processes associated with active development among individuals. Cognitive growth often revolves around specific stages where mental disequilibrium is gradually eliminated when one learns new activities, based on the signals presented by the physical environment.
References
Huitt, W., & Hummel, J. (2003). Piaget's theory of cognitive development
Piaget, J. (1964). Part I: Cognitive development in children: Piaget development and learning. Journal of research in science teaching , 2 (3), 176-186.
