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Cognitive development is best described as how a person's thought process develops, and how these thought processes impact how we comprehend and interact in the world (Cherry, 2014). As a person progresses through life from childhood to adulthood, the manner to which they take in knowledge and mature is the basic theory of cognitive development.
There are many different opinions and theories to cognitive development, but through each of these there are three things that are always constant;
1. There are multiple stages of learning throughout a person's life, and each person will inevitably experience each of these stages.
2. Constructivism will always be present.
3. The influences of society will always limit the growth of a person's cognitive development.
Over the years cognitive development has been linked to many controversies, the largest of these is the debate of nature vs. nurture. The question debated was whether or not a person's cognitive development is influenced more by their genetics (nature) or through real life experiences (nurture), this debate lasted through most of the 20th century. Fortunately, this argument stalled out in the mid 2000's, in a 2007 article Saul McLeod stated that "hardly anyone today accepts either of the extreme positions. There are simply too many "facts" on both sides of the argument which are inconsistent with an "all or nothing" view" (McLeod, 2007).
In this essay, I will compare and contrast many aspects of cognitive development based on the theories of psychologist Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. Piaget and Vygotsky are considered innovators in the field of cognitive development; their theories are world renowned and often referred to as the foundation for cognitive development r...
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...ors, 2nd Edition, Charles E Merrill Publishing Co., Columbus, Ohio
4. Cherry, K. (2014). An overview of early childhood development. Retrieved from www.physcology.about.com
5. Crawford, K. (1996). Vygotskian approaches to human development in the information era. Educational Studies in Mathematics. Kluwer Academic Publishers.
6. Kozulin, A. (2003). Vygotsky's Educational Theory in Cultural Context. New York, NY: Cambridge Press
7. McLeod, S.A. (2007). Lev Vygotsky. Retrieved from simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html
8. McLeod, S.A. (2012). Piaget's Cognitive Theory. Retrieved from www.simplypsychology.org/piaget.html
9. Piaget, J. (1973). Main Trend in Psychology. London, England: George Allen and Unwin.
10. Wadsworth, B.J. (2004). Piaget's Theory of Cognitive and Affective Development: Foundations of Constructivism. London, England: Longman Publishing
Cognitive development focuses on the person’s ability to intellect, perceive and process information. (35589) defined the cognitive ability as the process in which people learn, think and use language; it is the progression of their mental capacity from being irrational to rational (35589). Piaget and Vygotsky are two cognitive theorists whom were interested in the cognitive development of a person across their life span and its relation with social and environmental factors. Piaget is the most known cognitive theorist who affected the world of psychology greatly, and was a great influence to many psychologists out there; however his main intention was the innate maturity process and, unlike Vygotsky, he underestimated the role of language and social interaction and his theory wasn’t useful in the teaching field. However, both theorists believed that a person goes through a sequential process during their development. They were also both aware that one gains knowledge through experience and not through passive learning.
Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky are two of the most well known cognitive psychologists who addressed cognitive development and learning among children and youths. While there are similarities, contrasts do exist between the two theories, and those contrasts are vital to the comprehension and application of the theories, especially in an educational setting.
Lev Vygotsky and Jean Piaget are the two most influential developmental psychologists in history so one might think they would have very similar theories but this could not be more wrong. Piaget (1896-1980) Piaget 's theory stems from the idea that children develop in mostly solitary and are unable to see others perspective and progress through four stages of development(book). A major challenge to Piaget’s theory is Lev Vygotsky’s (1896-1934) sociohoristic theory which suggests that children acquire the tools of thinking and learning through social interacrtion with family and peers (seans book). Both of these psychologists’ theories are very similar in a number of ways but have a few crucial differences which separate them. (BOOK)
Piaget versus Vygotsky: Similarities and Differences This paper explores the ideas of Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. Exploring their philosophies and how they impact us today. The two scholarly articles show similarities and differences in their works and explore what they each mean. Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky are two of the most influential philosophers in the field of cognitive development.
Jean Piaget was one of the most prominent researchers of the 20th century in the field of psychology and human development. He concentrated his attention on the biological influences on the psychological portrait of the person and developmental stages. Piaget pointed out that the development of a person passes through certain stages; each stage can be characterized by specific features. He argued that learning about the world was possible through personal experience. However, his inspiration of developing the idea of cognitive growth and changes of people came while researching child behavior. Moreover, it is important to note that his research was based on the observation of behavior of his own three children (Berlin, Zeanah & Lieberman, 2008).
Cognition is the ability to gain knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses. There are essentially four stages of cognitive development; sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational. The sensorimotor stage is from birth to around 2 years old and during this stage you know the world only by movements and sensations. The next stage, preoperational, happens between 2 and 7 and is when you start to think symbolically and use words and pictures for objects. The third stage, concrete operational, is from 7 to 11, and you begin to think logically. The final stage, formal operational, happens at the ages 12+. This stage you begin to reasonably think about hypothetical problems. This is how cognition normally develops, but there are certain ways that cognitive development can be affected.
In regards to child development, Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky are both highly regarded and well known for their theories. Some educators view themselves as Piagetian while others view themselves as Vygotskians. They see Piaget and Vygotsky as being vastly different. Then there are others who see similarities between the two and hold both Piaget and Vygotsky as correct in their theories. The purpose of this paper is to examine the similarities and differences between Piaget and Vygotsky and determine what can be gained by better understanding these theories.
== Piaget’s theories of cognitive development are that children learn through exploration of their environment. An adult’s role in this is to provide children with appropriate experiences. He said that cognitive development happens in four stages. 1.
Jean Piaget’s cognitive development theory is focused on the belief that development precedes learning, specifically upon individual development of one’s knowledge through independent learning and experiences (Lourenco, 2012). Piaget’s theory discusses how an individual’s surroundings affect their development resulting in a series of changes in the understandings of their environment.
Cognition is the process involved in thinking and mental activity, such as attention, memory and problem solving. In this essay on cognitive development I will compare and contrast the theories of Piaget and Vygotsky, who were both influential in forming a more scientific approach to analyzing the cognitive development process of the child active construction of knowledge. (Flanagan 1996 P.72). I will then evaluate the usefulness of these theories in understanding a child's development.
Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development focuses on the concept of schemas and cognitive thought that helps an individual organize knowledge and understand the world in comparison to Erikson’s theory which focuses on conflicts that arise between and within the ego. Accommodation and assimilation occur throughout Piaget’s theory as a result of children
Vygotsky was a soviet psychologist from 1896-1934. He mainly contributed in the developmental psychology by proposing on theory that connects to the children development. He proposed a theory on the development or higher cognitive functions especially in the children, which he saw the emergence of some reasoning form the practical activities that children are participating in the social environment, especially through playing (Jones, & Reynolds, 1992). He has had many arguments in aligning to reasoning and cognitive development, the first in the earlier stages being the argument that, reasoning development is mediated by the symbols and signs that a person sees in everyday life. This means, they are connected very
Piaget’s Cognitive theory represents concepts that children learn from interactions within the world around them. He believed that children think and reason at different stages in their development. His stages of cognitive development outline the importance of the process rather the final product. The main concept of this theory reflects the view th...
The Critique of Piaget's Theories Jean Piaget (1896 – 1980) was a constructivist theorist. He saw children as constructing their own world, playing an active part in their own development. Piaget’s insight opened up a new window into the inner working of the mind and as a result he carried out some remarkable studies on children that had a powerful influence on theories of child thought. This essay is going to explain the main features and principles of the Piagetian theory and then provide criticism against this theory. Cognitive development refers to way in which a person’s style of thinking changes with age.
One hundred years ago, Jean Piaget (1896-1980) was a young man developing new insights about learning. He was one of a handful of constructivist-minded writers and educational theorists of the time. Learning theories open educators up to new ideas. They are necessary to expand our knowledge of how learning works. Piaget’s work is a well-tested and educators around the world should be aware of Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive development in particular because it will improve the quality of their teaching. Once a teacher knows this theory, they can plan lessons appropriate to their students’ cognitive ability and build upon students’ earlier knowledge in a constructivist way.