PIAGET’S THEORY OF THE COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
So why is that? What is happening “under the hood”? Let’s explore the most influential theory of cognitive development - that of Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget.
According to this theory, as we grow, we go through the four distinct stages of cognitive development which build upon each other. Each stage is marked by a big shift in a way children see the world around them. They are not passive in this process, they are active learners, always modifying what they already know about the world - their schemas.
Learning happens through two processes: accommodation and assimilation.
Assimilation happens when we take some new information, like “mango is a fruit” into our existing schema (the concept of fruit).
Accommodation, on the other hand, is when we receive some new information that is inconsistent with what we already know, so we change our schema to fit it. For example, if we know that fruit grows on the trees, but then we find out that watermelon is a fruit, we must change our idea (schema) of what means to be fruit.
What to expect from your child at every stage?
1) Sensorimotor Stage (age 0 – 2 years)
Characterized by rapid development and learning. After leaving the safety of mother’s womb, the child finds themselves in this strange new place that we call the world. With the innate curiosity of every human being, they start to explore and experiment.
In the sensorimotor stage, children learn about the world through senses and movement.
The stimulative environment will help your Child develop faster
In this stage, the child primarily learns with their senses, by touching, sucking, feeling, hearing and seeing. That’s why it’s important to provide a stimulating environment - different textures they can feel, colors, sounds and interesting stimuli in general.
Another big component of this stage is rapid motor development. In this stage, a child will go from the helpless newborn to a walking, running, grabbing toddler. With a bigger range of movement, the child is able to experience more different sensations and this circular process is a base for all further learning.
2) Preoperational Stage (age 2 – 7 years)
Characterized by child’s use of language. They become proficient in the use of verbal language - but in a very concrete way. In this phase, your child has a mostly egocentric view of the world and it’s hard for them to see things from other people’s perspective.
You can also expect testing parent’s limits, defiance, and everyone’s favorite tantrums at the wrong place and time. Don’t worry, it’s normal and it will pass. Stay calm and consistent with your limits while accepting the big feelings behind the protest - that is how children slowly learn to postpone their wishes.
The preoperational stage brings symbolic play and an egocentric view of the world.
Expect some tantrums and testing your limits
In this stage, children begin to think symbolically and learn to use words and pictures to represent objects. That’s why telling stories is a great way to teach your child new concepts. Also, young children absorb new information remarkably easily, so it is a great time to playfully try out many different new skills.
3) Concrete Operational Stage (age 7 – 12 years)
In this stage, children begin to think more logically about concrete events. They begin to use inductive logic or reasoning from specific information to a general principle. They have long understood that other people have their own thoughts and feelings (that insight actually arrives around age 4 to 5, earlier than Piaget believed) - now they get better and better at reasoning about them.
In the concrete operational stage, children start thinking logically about concrete events.
Children are able to comprehend all but the most complex concepts
While it’s good to encourage a child in the preoperational stage to try as many different things, in the concrete operational stage is good to encourage a child to “specialize” in activities they really enjoy doing. Just be careful not to insist on things you want your child to do but he doesn’t like them (example: you want your child to play the violin and they hate playing it) because that can be counterproductive in long term.
4) Formal Operational Stage (age 12 – through life)
At this stage, the adolescent or young adult (not a child anymore) begins to think abstractly and reason about hypothetical problems. An adolescent is capable of systematically planning for the future and to reason about hypothetical situations. Also, they become capable of seeing multiple potential solutions to problems and think more scientifically about the world around them.
The formal operational stage brings abstract thinking and reasoning about hypotheticals.
Adolescents can have some strange ways of expressing themselves
This stage is also a final exam in parenting for every parent. Adolescents in this stage often become more rebellious and defiant as they test out who they are. That’s mostly because they are trying to answer the question “who am I?” and become independent. They still need your help and guidance very much, but don’t tell them what to do, instead help them to come to that answer on their own
From parent’s perspective, the function of this stage is that we don’t miss them that much when they finally leave us and start their own life, I guess…
How has Piaget's theory held up?
Piaget remains the giant of the field, but decades of newer research have refined the picture: the ages are rough averages, infants turn out to be far more competent than he thought (signs of object permanence appear months earlier than he estimated), children understand other minds earlier too, development is more gradual than stage-like, and abstract “formal operational” thinking is not universal even among adults. So treat the stages as a useful map, not a timetable.
Some children move through that map noticeably faster than their peers, reaching abstract reasoning or reading years ahead of the average. If that sounds like your child, our guide to the 18 signs of a gifted child walks through what giftedness actually looks like day to day and how it differs from simply being bright.
So this is your child's development in a nutshell, to help you better understand what is happening and how to approach future challenges. For more, you can visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_development
