Concept Mapping

Cognitive Development
2
1
Quantitative changes
Nature vs Nurture vs
Qualitative changes

Nature: Nurture: Qualitative changes:

The genes that children bring
with them to life and that
influence all aspects of their
development.
The environments, starting
with the womb, that
influence all aspects of
children’s development.
Quantitative changes: Large, fundamental change, as when
Gradual, incremental change, as a caterpillar changes into a butterfly;
in the growth of a pine tree’s stage theories such as Piaget’s posit
girth. that each stage reflects qualitative
change relative to previous stages.

Figure 1: Continuous and discontinuous development. Some researchers see development as a continuous gradual
process, much like a maple tree growing steadily in height and cross-sectional area. Other researchers see development
as a progression of discontinuous stages, involving rapid discontinuous changes, such as those in the life cycle of a
ladybug, separated by longer periods of slow, gradual change.

3 4

Continuous vs Dis-continuous Piaget 4 Stages

Continuous development:
Ways in which development
occurs in a gradual incremental
manner, rather than through
sudden jumps.
Discontinuous development:
Development is delayed or in
slow pace.
Sensorimotor stage:
Period within Piagetian
theory from birth to age
2 years, during which
children come to
represent the enduring
reality of objects.
Preoperational reasoning stage: Concrete operations stage: Formal operations stage:
Piagetian stage starting at age
Period within Piagetian theory from Piagetian stage between ages 7
12 years and continuing for the
age 2 to 7 years, in which children and 12 when children can think
rest of life, in which
can represent objects through logically about concrete
adolescents may gain the
drawing and language but cannot situations but not engage in
reasoning powers of educated
solve logical reasoning problems, systematic scientific reasoning.
adults.
such as the conservation problems.

References :
https://nobaproject.com/modules/cognitive-development-in-childhood
https://nobaproject.com/modules/cognitive-development-in-childhood#vocabulary-quantitative-
changes