Jean Piaget's

Theory of Cognitive Development

The Child and Adolescent Learner and Learning

by Jamie Lou Calica, Batch 31-C
Principles
WHAT IS COGNITIVE
DEVELOPMENT?
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
It is defined as, "the process of growth and change in
one's intellectual & mental abilities, including thinking,
reason, & understanding."
Also defined as, "the act of knowing, perceiving,
remembering and volitional process."
 JEAN PIAGET
A swiss psychologist known for his major contribution, child development, in
psychology. He believed that the process of thinking and intellectual development is
an extension of biological process, which has two on-going processes namely:
assimilation & accomodation
THEORY OF COGNITIVE
DEVELOPMENT
ASSIMILATION
It refers to the process of incorporating
new experiences and information into a
present or existing cognitive structures.
In other words, it involves interpreting
new information in terms of what is
already known

Main point: Children "actively construct"

Example: A child who has a schema for
their understanding of the world through
dogs may assimilate cats as dogs. The
series/steps, which is highly influenced by
child may even assume that cat
their interactions with their environment
behaves and communicates like a dog.
THEORY OF COGNITIVE
DEVELOPMENT
Main point: Children "actively construct"
their understanding of the world through
series/steps, which is highly influenced by
their interactions with their environment
ACCOMODATION
It involves modifying existing schemas to incorporate
new information that does not fix into existing
schemas.
In other words, adjusting one's thinking to make another
space/room for new ideas that do not fit anymore.
Example: A child who has a schema for dogs may
assimilate cats as dogs. The child may even assume that
cat behaves and communicates like a dog. However, the
mother's child inform the child that it is not a dog but
rather a cat. The child accommodates by adjusting their
schema and learns that cats are different from dogs,
even though they share some similarities.
STAGES OF COGNITIVE
DEVELOPMENT
Sensorimotor Stage (Birth 0-2 years age)
Infants develop their understanding of the world
through senses and motor skills.
Pre-operational Stage (2-7 years of age)
Children use symbols such as words and images
to communicate
Concrete Operational Stage (7 to 11 years of age)
Children develop their logical thinking skills and
understanding of abstract concepts.
Formal Operational Stage (11 years and beyond)
Develop the ability to think abstractly, reason
hypothetically, and engage in deductive reasoning
SENSORIMOTOR STAGE
OBJECT PERMANENCE
Infants gradually develop "object permanence" the
understanding that objects continue to exist even
when they are out of sight.
EXAMPLE
A child may imitate her mother's facial simple
expression such as eye-rolling and smiling.
Infants and babies may also develop early language
development where they start to make sounds such
as "mama" "baba" "dada"
PRE-OPERATIONAL
EGOCENTRISM
They are able to engage in interactions
with other people however they may
struggle in understanding and seeing
other's perceptions. In other words,
they may have difficulty taking
someone's else point of view.
EXAMPLE
A child may use things such as
phone, a broom, or any material
object at the house to pretend
superman/superwoman.
NOTE:
Children at this age may use
complex sentences and can build
conversation with other people.
 CONCRETE
OPERATIONAL STAGE

DEVELOPMENT IN THINKING EXAMPLE

Children may have a deeper understanding of their

surroundings. They may also use deductive reasoning to
A child can understand that a set of five objects remains the
provide information. Children may understand cause and
same in quantity, even if she spread out or arranged
effect relationships. Additionally, children can no identify
differently.
classify different things in their own features or
characteristics.
A child can categorize objects like sorting different shapes
or grouping animals into categories like mammals and birds.
They can also show an increase in terms of problem-solving
such as in simple and basic mathematics and puzzles.
FORMAL OPERATIONAL
STAGE

MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES EXAMPLE

A child may begin to think what he/she would like to
Children at this age may now understand and consider
become in the future. Children may say that they want to
different perspectives from other people. They may also
become like a doctor, police, writer, scientist, and etc.,
engage in complex and advanced problem-solving.
Children may also develop moral reasoning and can
consider ethical principles when making a solution to a
problem.
 WHY THIS IS
IMPORTANT?
SAFE
PROMOTE ACTIVE APPROPRIATE
SPACES/ROOM
LEARNING TEACHING METHODS
FOR CHILDREN
Teachers can provide more
Teachers may provide effective,
opportunities for students to Teachers can use accomodations
efficient and best instructional
explore and engage in her to promote being flexibile in new
materials and teaching
classroom discussion. This foster information or knowledge. At the
strategies that can accomodate
creative and critical thinking and same time, it allows intellectual
the needs of the students.
promotes problem-solving skills. growth for children.
 "Only education is
capable of saving our
societies from possible
collapse, whether
violent, or gradual"
Jean Piaget, Swiss Psychologist
THANK YOU