Abstract This paper provides an overview of the background of JeanPiaget and his theory of four stages of child development. The paper discusses his influence on education and notes criticisms of Piaget's model. The paper points out that although Piaget's theory of cognitive development has appeared to lose its momentum as a new philosophy in recent years, his contributions to the education of children are far-reaching. The paper concludes that modern theorists in this area will build on the stages set out by Piaget, perhaps improving the reasoning behind his theory.
Outline:
Introduction
The Early Years
Piaget's Theory in Stages
Piaget's Influence on Education
Criticisms of Piaget's Model
Conclusion
From the Paper "In the past few decades, theories of cognitive psychology have been applied to many different aspects of modern life. The study of cognitive psychology has been applied to many educational reform efforts that seek to implement new and better methods of teaching children. One such cognitive psychologist, Jean Piaget, is most noted for his studies and philosophy regarding the actions of children. Although he never taught children, Piaget has been hailed as an educator as a result of his many writings on the manner in which children think and learn."
Abstract This paper explains that, before the time of JeanPiaget, theories of knowledge were considered to be a part of philosophical learning, but Piaget turned studies of cognition into a science in its own right. The author points out that Piaget did not consider himself foremost a child psychologist but rather believed that, by looking at the ways children learn to think, it is possible to better understand the ways in which knowledge in general is acquired. The paper relates in detail Piaget's classification system of the mental development of children.
From the Paper "Another interesting comparison can be drawn between Piaget's work and that of Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934). Vygotsky asserted that a child's learning was "not a solitary exploration by a child of the environment ... but rather a process of appropriation by the child of culturally relevant behavior." This theory of social constructivism asserts that cognitive development "can be understood as the transformation of basic, biologically determined processes into higher physiological functions." In other words, children are born with a diverse range of perceptual, attentional and memory capacities which are substantially transformed in the context of socialization and education. "
Abstract This paper looks at the life of JeanPiaget who was born in 1896 in Neuchatel in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. The paper discusses his education and his career, focussing particularly on how he developed his four stages of cognitive development and how he continues to influence many intellectual fields.
Outline:
The Stages of Cognitive Development
Piaget's Understanding Of the Mind of the Child
The Developmental Process
Influence
Developmental Psychology
Education
Historical Studies of Thought and Cognition
From the Paper "While helping to mark the results of the responses to various intelligence tests, Piaget noticed that on certain question, young children consistently answered wrongly. He became intrigued with the fact that children at certain ages consistently adhered to the same pattern of mistakes, while they learned that their answers were wrong as they matured. In a moment of insight, Piaget reasoned that at certain stages of a child's life, a young child's cognitive processes, the way it thinks, is profoundly different from the thought process of an adult. Eventually, his research led him to set forth a theory of developmental stages in which he reasoned that in each of four stages of development, individuals exhibit certain distinctive common cognitive patterns."
Abstract This paper discusses the theorized ways to define human developmental stages, looking specifically at the 19th century psychologists, JeanPiaget, who analyzed cognitive development, Mary Rothbart, who studied temperament, and John Bowlby, who researched attachment. Although all three studied the manner by which individuals develop from an embryo into a full grown adult, primarily focusing on the factors that establish intelligence, personality, morality, and lifestyle, this papers aims to describe how each has proceeded down different avenues of study. Specifically, this paper demonstrates their differences in approach by seeing how they viewed an 18-month-old child's level of development. Through this example, the paper briefly summarizes the major findings of each developmental psychologist. The paper concludes that the parents of an 18-month-old recognizes that there is a combination of nurture and nature that influences their child.
From the Paper "Children differ from one other from early in life, which have important implications for parent/child interaction. An irritable infant, for instance, is predisposed to insecure attachment, which is likely due in part to the mother's increased ignoring. Psychologists as Rothbart (Kohnstamm & Martin, 1994) are just beginning to look at how the ratings on such questionnaires in early life correspond to later behavior and personality. For example, the approach-related dimensions of infant and child temperament seem to relate to the Big Five personality dimension of Extraversion/Surgency. However, the temperamental dimension of effortful control may also impact the expression of approach-related tendencies. Similarly, anxiety-related dimensions of infant and child temperament seem to relate to Neuroticism/Negative Emotionality.
"From birth, Jeffrey was a 'very temperamental baby.' He was difficult getting to sleep, he cried easily and for long periods of time, he was very fussy. When tested on the IBQ at the age of 12 months, there was a greater tendency for becoming distressed, taking longer to reduce this distress and a longer time being soothed. This behavior is noticeable at 18 months of age as well. Where many children go through the 'terrible twos,' Jeffrey seems to continually go through this stage. His parents are trying not to respond too negatively to this behavior for fear that it causes further aggravation. The hope is to help Jeffrey as he gets older learn how to better handle his temperament"
Tags:jeanpiaget, mary rothbart, john bowlby, cognitive development, temperament attachment
Abstract The paper explains JeanPiaget's and Lev Vygotsky's stages of development and identifies the differences in their approaches. Additionally, the paper provides specific examples of how teachers can incorporate each of these theories in the classroom. The paper concludes that both Vygotsky and Piaget acknowledge the importance of social learning, however, Vygotsky places greater importance on language development and the role it plays in the development of individual cognition.
Outline:
Objective
Introduction
Piaget: Stages of Development
Vygotsky: Stages of Development
Differences Between Piaget and Vygotsky
Application of Piaget and Vygotsky in the Classroom
Summary and Conclusion
From the Paper "To Jean Piaget, the most vital element in the individual development of cognition of a child was based on interacting among his own peers and that this interaction results in conflict on the cognitive level. Piaget held that children were not as challenged in their interactions with those considered their peers, as they would be when among adults. Vygotsky's assertion was that a child learns best among peers who are more skilled which provides the child with a scaffold comprised of intellect and experience and through this; the child is able to complete tasks much more complex than they would be capable of on their own. DeVries (nd) writes in the work entitled: "Vygotsky, Piaget, and Education: A Reciprocal Assimilation of Theories and Educational Practices" which incidentally is a comparison of Vygotsky and Piaget, that she was for quite a long time "unable to see Vygotsky as a constructivist.""
Abstract This paper discusses some of the different views of psychologists, Lev Vygotsky and JeanPiaget. It focuses on their views on learning and the factors that influence learning. The paper looks into the roles of the learner, the physical environment, culture and the instructor regarding an individual's ability to learn. It discusses Vygotsky's and Piaget's views of learning in relation to Piaget's theory of cognitive thinking as an endpoint compared to Vygotsky's theory, which applies mainly to mental development.
Table of Contents:
Learning
Factors that Influence Learning
Role of the Learner
Role of Physical Environment
Role of Culture
Role of the Instructor
From the Paper "Vygotsky's approach is termed "sociocultural." He approached development differently from Piaget. Piaget believed that learning through discovery and supporting the interests of the individual are important techniques for the development of the logical use of symbols related to abstract concepts. Piaget's theory proposes that development of the child's interests should be enhanced, as the child develops biologically. His theory has a cognitive thinking endpoint as a goal. Vygotsky's theory applies mainly to mental development, and mental abilities and rational abilities are analyzed and developed instead of viewed as a product to be obtained. Vygotsky's development process begins at birth and has no stages, as it is too complex to be defined, but eventually reaches the ZPD (Driscoll, 1994; Hausfather,1996)."
Abstract The paper outlines JeanPiaget's theory of cognitive development and Lev Vygotsky's theories of memory. The paper looks at how their theories can be applied to issues of multiculturalism and diversity today. According to the paper, it is important for future research to address the effects and roles of culture on the time periods of both Vygotsky and Piaget.
Outline:
Introduction
Piaget and Vygotsky
Multiculturalism
Conclusion
From the Paper "Piaget is almost always thus classified as a cognitive theorist primarily. Theory has been around for a long time, but seminal figures like Piaget attempt a comprehensive view of it as an abstract as well as applicable concept in league with reality, specifically the reality of education and psychology, which are often mixed subjects in any case, which reflect on each other in terms of finding out how the child's mind works when they are a student, and how to accumulate academic type knowledge in this manner through a stage based paradigm of development of thought. Thought is also called cognition, hence the term cognitive development."
Abstract This paper explains that Piaget was famous for his pioneering studies of the development of thought processes, particularly in children. It briefly provides a biography of Piaget and then analyzes his theories, focusing on play development in children.
From the Paper "Piaget's work on concept formation in children falls into two main phases: an early phase (from 1924 to 1937) in which he established the basic differences between thought processes in children and those in adults, and a late phase (after 1937) in which he carried out detailed investigations of thought development and evolved his theories about concept formation in children - his best-known work."
Tags: ego, mental, freud, child, development, play
Abstract This straight-forward, outline-style paper compares and contrasts the theories of cognitive learning of psychologists JeanPiaget and Lev Vygotsky. The paper details both of their theories, including a discussion of Piaget's four developmental stages and Vygotsky's assertion that the environment in which a child is raised is more determinant than age. The paper goes on to compare the psychologists' ideas as they pertain to curriculum and instruction.
From the Paper "Swiss biologist and psychologist Jean Piaget is renowned for constructing a highly influential model of child development and learning. His theory is based on the idea that the developing child builds cognitive structures, i.e. mental maps, schemes, or networked concepts for understanding and responding to physical experiences within his or her environment. Piaget also stated that a child's cognitive structure increases in sophistication with development, moving from a few innate reflexes such as crying and sucking to highly complex mental activities (http://www.funderstanding.com/piaget.cfm)."
Abstract This paper discusses how there is a great deal of difference between the preschool-aged child and the elementary-aged. JeanPiaget identified this developmental stage as "concrete operational" and identified onset to completion as between the ages of six and ten. his paper explains this theory and examines how it applies to understanding childhood development.
From the Paper "As a child grows he or she is able to confront issues specifically related to an age appropriate difficulty. They receive input from the people who are important to them and, based on what they believe is success or failure of the goal associated with that stage, the next stage is confronted. People develop throughout their lifetime. It is how the individual perceives the world as well as the way in which the people around them respond that provides the impetus for change and development. There are physical, cognitive, social, and moral characteristics concerned with different developmental stages."
Abstract The paper outlines JeanPiaget's ideas on children's cognitive development and explains his four terms that have implications regarding vision and intellectual development. The paper discusses the parallels that have been drawn between Piaget and Korzybski, who both agreed that the human being's highest level of cognitive development functions statistically.
Outline:
Introduction
Vision and Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development
Theory Similarity between Piaget and Korzybski
Conclusion
From the Paper "Jean Piaget, a Swiss developmental psychologist, explored how children grow and develop in their cognitive abilities. Piaget taught that cognitive development is the combined result of maturation of the brain and nervous system along with adaptation to the environment. Piaget has revolutionized developmental psychology by focusing attention on mental processes and their role in behavior, and has proposed that children think differently than adults.
"Piaget developed four terms to describe the dynamics of child development: sensorimotor, representing the pattern of thinking that an individual uses when dealing with a specific situation; semiotic or preoperational stage, the process by which children adjust their thinking to include new information that furthers understanding; concrete operations stage, which is acquiring new information and incorporating it into current schemas in response to new environmental stimuli; and the formal operations stage, involving adjusting to new information by creating new schemas (Boyd, 1986)."
This paper compares the developmental theories of two eminent psychologists: Piaget's Theory of Development vs. Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development.
1,195 words (approx. 4.8 pages), 3 sources, 2002, $ 40.95
Abstract This paper contrasts the two fundamental theories of JeanPiaget and his student Lawrence Kohlberg regarding the development of a child's mind. The paper explains that JeanPiaget's theory relates an age factor and the child's learning and comprehension abilities; whereas, Lawrence Kohlberg's theory deals with the value building and image forming processes of a child in various stages while a child is growing into an adult. The author presents both theories in detail.
From the Paper "The first level of Kohlberg's theory is referred to as "Pre-Conventional Morality" (Developmental Theories) with two stages. One stage is called "Obedience and Punishment" and Stage Two is titled as "Individualism, Instrumentalism and Exchange" or "Na"ve Hedonism? (Developmental Theories). The authoritative figures in this level pose either threat or reward for the young learners thereby compelling them to conform to more "socially acceptable" behaviors. However, the second stage of Level One engenders a moral behavior that is not so ethical nature but rather introvert, inducing actions wherein a child performs keeping mind his needs and desires rather than what is morally accurate or inaccurate."
Abstract This paper explains that JeanPiaget argued that, until the age of eleven or twelve, children were fundamentally animistic, the incapacity to be able to clearly differentiate between animate and inanimate objects. The paper presents a complete meta-research analysis into this theory, which reveals that the wide body of literature on the subject undermines Piaget's claims. The paper's findings illustrate that the development of this psychological concept occurs much earlier in the developmental process, even as early as age three or four. The paper concludes that, whatever Piaget's contributions to developmental studies, his conclusions on animacy must be abandoned in favor of the weight of academic discourse on the subject.
Table of Contents:
Abstract
Introduction
Method
Results
Discussion
Conclusion
From the Paper "Dewart's (1979) research into language and animacy highlights the important point that Piaget's late development of a concept of animacy is incorrect. Similarly Schwartz (1980) found that a child's ability to judge a sentence anomalous was based on the preexisting knowledge of animacy. Working with young children and combined with Dewart, this study impressively pushes the development of a conception of animacy to at least preschool ages. Dewart found that children as young as five were able to determine animacy based on sentence structure."
Abstract This paper discusses the 'Theory of Human Caring', created by Jean Watson and JeanPiaget's theory on human intellectual development, individually. The paper then compares the two and explains how they can be applied to the nursing industry.
From the Paper "In addition to the above basic core ideas of the role of the nurse, Watson also discusses the idea of transpersonal caring relationships. These relationships convey a concern for the world and the spirit of the nurse's patient (Watson, 2000). These relationships help to move the patient beyond their pain and suffering, and allow them to tap into their own healing potential. Watson also discusses the ability of the nurse to use that caring to go beyond the illness and disease, and to focus on the healing and wholeness issues of the patient. As a part of that relationship, there are moments where the nurse and patient bond together and it is that bonding, which is a result of the ten processes above and the transpersonal relationship, which allows the healing of the patient (Watson, 1988)."
Abstract This paper compares and contrasts the theories of child development by Sigmund Freud, JeanPiaget and Erik Erikson. It shows how Freud's theory was based in the psychoanalytic perspective, Erikson's theory is from the psychosocial perspective and Piaget used a cognitive approach. The paper looks at their approaches regarding sensorimotor development, cognitive development and the different stages of child development.
From the Paper "Piaget's stages are different to Freud's and Erikson's since Piaget only focused on the child to a point in adolescence. Also, Piaget is not concerned with psychosocial development except in terms of moral development. Piaget is somewhat similar to Freud in that during the sensorimotor stage the child learns about the environment through sensation and movement. Unlike either Freud or Erikson, Piaget concentrated on external influences such as the parents through which the child learns to shape behavior. During the preoperational stage, the child uses cognitive development and especially language to relate to what is in the environment (Issacs, 1972). In contrast to the bodily sensations that Freud described, Piaget maintained that the child gained pleasure from thoughts and fantasies. The stage of concrete operations is one of learning abstract thinking and rational judgments. The child's interaction with the world is completely on the cognitive level. The stage of formal operations provides a guide for the teenage years and for life because of fully developed reasoning powers (Issacs, 1972)."
