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Cognitive development – Piaget 1

Jean Piaget is one of the cognitive psychologists. Piaget’s theory is based on the stages of development, whereby each stage represents a qualitatively different type of thinking. Children in stage one cannot think the same as children in stage 2, 3 or 4 etc. changing from one stage to another are generally very fast, and the stages always follow an invariant sequence. 

According to his theory the interaction of environment is his focal point. He believed that without the interaction of environment child cannot learn the new information. This is very true, almost all the children learn the names of different things, how to play and communication skills through the family, peers or school environment. Children try to modify their behaviour similar to their friends. 

Schemas- A schema describes both the mental and physical actions involved in understanding and knowing. Schemas are categories of knowledge that helps child to interpret and understand the world.

In Piaget's view, a schema includes both a category of knowledge and the process of obtaining that knowledge. As experiences happen, this new information is used to modify, add to, or change previously existing schemas.

For example, a child may have a schema about a type of bird, such as a crow. If the child's only experience has been with crows, a child might believe that all birds are black, feathery, and have two legs. Suppose then that the child had a chance to see a duck. The child will take in this new information, modifying the previously existing schema to include this new information.

Assimilation - The process of taking in new information into child’s previously existing schema’s is known as assimilation. In this process children modify information or experience which fit for previous beliefs. In the example above, seeing a duck and labeling it "duck" is an example of assimilating the bird into the child's crow schema.

Accommodation - Another part of adaptation involves changing or altering our existing schemas in light of new information, a process known as accommodation. Accommodation involves altering existing schemas, or ideas, as a result of new information or new experiences. New schemas may also be developed during this process.

Equilibrium - Piaget believed that all children try to strike a balance between assimilation and accommodation, which is achieved through a mechanism Piaget called equilibration. As children progress through the stages of cognitive development, it is important to maintain a balance between applying previous knowledge (assimilation) and changing behaviour to account for new knowledge (accommodation). Equilibration helps explain how children are able to move from one stage of thought into the next.