Paper Topic:

PSY 390 W5 Stages of Piaget

Running Heads : Piaget 's Cognitive Development

Jean Piaget 's Theory of Cognitive Development

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Abstract

Jean Piaget 's Theory of Cognitive Development has made a significant contribution in the field of psychology . According to Piaget 's theory human development goes through several stages from birth until adulthood . In his version , Piaget classified the stages of human development into Sensorimotor , Pre-operational , Concrete Operational and Formal Operational Stages

This shall delve on the characteristics as well as the skills

that a child will acquire in each development stage

Piaget 's Cognitive Development

Throughout his career , Jean Piaget (1896 - 1980 ) studied the behavior of children . He believed that human development was divided into several stages and each of these levels serves as a preparation for the next stage (Boeree , 2006

Being a biologist , Jean Piaget 's interest was geared towards studying how the child can adjust to their environment . In his study , he introduced a concept known as schema in controlling the behavior of the child . In their effort to adapt themselves to the environment , the goal of the child is to attain equilibrium between their scheme and their surroundings (Boeree , 2006

Moreover , Piaget 's theory suggested that infants have innate reflexes which are responsible for controlling how they will behave throughout their life . Once the infant matures , the reflexes disappear and taking their place are constructed schemas . Finally , in their desire to adapt to their environment , individuals utilize two processes : assimilation and accommodation (Boeree , 2006

Jean Piaget 's Stages of Cognitive Development played a vital contribution in the field of psychology . Most preparatory and primary educational institutions are patterned after Jean Piaget 's Cognitive Development . It serves as the foundation for learning using the constructivist approach . In this method of learning , parents and educators should collaborate in challenging the child 's skills . However the resources that should be used must not be beyond the child 's level of knowledge . Likewise , the teacher must utilize concrete aids in helping the child learn the skills . These tools may include educational trips , group encounters , manipulative aids , and others Below is a summary of Piaget 's Stages of Cognitive Development

STAGE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE STAGE SKILLS ACQUIRED BY THE CHILD SENSORIMOTOR (Birth to Two Years ) The child 's understanding of their environment is acquired through their senses as well as through motor skills

The child employs motor responses based on what is dictated by their senses In to understand their environment , the child relies on skills such as observing , thumb sucking , grasping things , and listening

Substages of Sensorimotor Stage The sensorimotor stage can be further divided into six independent stages where the child acquires new skill

Reflexes (Zero to 1 month ) Understanding of the world is based on innate reflexes like observing and sucking

Primary Circular Reactions (1 to 4 months old ) During the first four months of this stage , the child learns to coordinate their sensation with new schemas A child continually sucks their...

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