Cognitive Development Study Essay -- Piaget’s Theory of Development

Introduction The purpose of this study is to analyse, in a practical way, the theories and concepts of cognitive development, across different age-related stages. Using Piaget’s theory of development, the cognitive ability of two subjects, aged 4 and 18 years, are examined against the milestones of the respective preoperational and formal operational development stages. Cognitive ability is determined by focusing on the subject’s capability and rationale to group 20 different objects. Based on the research outcomes, comparisons will be made to Piaget’s theory and the expected learning ability at their age-related development stage. Jean Piaget was considered a pioneer in cognitive research. Piaget developed his theory of cognitive development based on the sequence of changes that occur to the cognition of a person as they mature. Piaget believed that older children not only know quantitatively more than younger ones, but actually think in qualitatively different ways. Children and adults are thought to possess an inbuilt ability to experiences organise their knowledge and into schemes (Lambert, 2007). Jean Piaget defined schemes as both internalised behavioural patterns and mental understanding (Piaget, 1963, as cited in Berk, 2009). People are thought to actively seek knowledge and information from the surrounding environment and absorb or process this information using schemes. New knowledge is built on existing knowledge and as a person becomes older these schemes become increasingly more complex. This knowledge adds to a person’s intelligence providing them with an adaptation to succeed or survive in the world (Piaget, 1963, as cited in Berk, 2009). Through this reasoning, Piaget determined that learning occurred across ... ...nstra, G., Koelen, M., Kok, F., and Graaf, C. (2007) Cognitive development and children's perceptions of fruit and vegetables; a qualitative study. International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity. 2007;4: 30. Published online 2007 July 9. doi: 10.1186/1479-5868-4-30 BioMed Central. Web. 12 May 2015. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1941844/ Schaffer HR. Introducing child psychology. UK Edition. Oxford , Blackwell Publishers; 2003. p.352. Berk, L E (2009). Child Development. Pearson International Edition. 8th Edition. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Lambert, B. (2007). Cognitive Schemes and Scripts: Research Evidence from Children’s Drawings. NZ Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, Vol. 10, pp. 69 – 80. Cunningham, D. (1996). Jean Piaget’s Genetic Epistemology. Web. 12 May 2015. http://home.gwu.edu/~mcorry/corry2.htm