WHAT IS COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT?

MODULE 6:
PIAGET’S STAGES
OF COGNITIVE
DEVELOPMENT
BASIC COGNITIVE
CONCEPT
SCHEMA
• PIAGET’S USED THE TERM “SCHEMA” TO
REFER TO THE COGNITIVE STRUCTURES BY
WHICH INDIVIDUALS INTELLECTUAL ADAPT
TO AND ORGANIZE THEIR ENVIRONMENT. IT
IS AN INDIVIDUAL’S WAY TO UNDERSTAND
OR CREATE MEANING ABOUT A THING OR
EXPERIENCE. IT IS LIKE THE MIND HAS A
FILING CABINET AND EACH DRAWER HAS
FOLDERS THAT CONTAINS FILES THINGS HE
HAS HAD AN EXPERIENCE WITH.
MAGHAHANDA ANG TAGA ULAT NG DALAWANG
LARAWAN ANG HUHULAAN NG MGA MAG-AARAL
KUNG ANO ANG PINAPAKITA NG MGA LARAWANG ITO
ASSIMILATION.

• THIS IS THE PROCESS OF FITTING A NEW EXPERIENCE INTO AN EXISTING OR

PREVIOUSLY CREATED COGNITIVE STRUCTURE OR SCHEMA.
ASSIMILATION.
THIS IS THE PROCESS OF
FITTING A NEW EXPERIENCE
INTO AN EXISTING OR
PREVIOUSLY CREATED
COGNITIVE STRUCTURE OR
SCHEMA.
 IF THE CHILD SEES ANOTHER DOG,
THIS TIME A LITTLE SMALLER ONE,
HE WOULD MAKE SENSE OF WHAT HE
IS SEEING BY ADDING THIS NEW
INFORMATION (A DIFFERENT-
LOOKING DOG) INTO HIS SCHEMA OF
A DOG.
ACCOMMODAT
ION. •
THIS IS THE PROCESS OF CREATING A NEW SCHEMA
• IF THE SAME CHILD NOW SEES ANOTHER ANIMAL
THAT LOOKS A LITTLE BIT LIKE A DOG, BUT
SOMEHOW DIFFERENT. HE MIGHT TRY TO FIT IT INTO
HIS SCHEMA OF A DOG AND SAY, LOOKS MOMMY,
WHAT A FUNNY LOOKING DOG. ITS BARK IS FUNNY
TOO! `THEN MOMMY EXPLAIN, “THAT’S NOT FUNNY
LOOKING DOG THAT’S A GOAT!’’ WITH MOMMY’S
FURTHER DESCRIPTION THE CHILD WILL NOW
CREATE A NEW SCHEMA, THAT OF A GOAT. HE NOW
ADDS A NEW FILE IN HIS FILLING CABINET.
 ACCOMMODATION.
EQUILIBRATI
WHEN OUR
ON. EXPERIENCES DO NOT MATCH OUR
SCHEMATA (PLURAL OF SCHEMA) OR
COGNITIVE STRUCTURES, WE
EXPERIENCE COGNITIVE
DISEQUILIBRIUM. THIS MEANS THERE
IS A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN WHAT IS
PERCEIVED AND WHAT IS
UNDERSTOOD WE THEN EXERT
EFFORT THROUGH ASSIMILATION
PIAGET’S STAGES OF
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
STAGE 1. SENSORY-MOTOR STAGE.
• THE FIRST STAGE CORRESPONDS FROM BIRTH
TO INFANCY. THIS IS THE STAGE WHEN A CHILD
WHO IS INITIALLY REFLEXIVE IN GRASPING,
SUCKING AND REACHING BECOMES MORE
ORGANIZED IN HIS MOVEMENT AND ACTIVITY.
THE TERM SENSORY-MOTOR FOCUSES ON THE
PROMINENCE OF THE SENSES AND MUSCLE
MOVEMENT THROUGH WHICH INFANT COMES
TO LEARN ABOUT HIMSELF AND THE WORLD.
OBJECT PERMANENCE. THIS IS
THE ABILITY OF THE CHILD TO
KNOW THAT AN OBJECT STILL
EXISTS EVEN WHEN OUT OF
SIGHT. THIS ABILITY IS
ATTAINED IN THE SENSORY
MOTOR STAGE
 FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU PLACE A
TOY UNDER A BLANKET, THE CHILD
WHO HAS ACHIEVED OBJECT
PERMANENCE KNOWS IT IS THERE
AND CAN ACTIVELY SEEK IT. AT THE
BEGINNING OF THIS STAGE THE
CHILD BEHAVES AS IF THE TOY HAD
SIMPLY DISAPPEARED.
STAGE 2. PRE-OPERATIONAL
STAGE.
 THE PREPARATIONAL STAGE COVERS FROM
ABOUT TWO TO SEVEN YEARS OLD, ROUGHLY
CORRESPONDING TO THE PRESCHOOL YEARS.
INTELLIGENCE AT THIS STAGE IS INTUITIVE IN
NATURE. AT THIS STAGE, THE CHILD CAN NOW
MAKE MENTAL REPRESENTATIONS AND IS ABLE
TO PRETEND, THE CHILD IN NOW EVER CLOSER
TO THE USE OF SYMBOLS. THIS STAGE IS
HIGHLIGHTED BY THE FOLLOWING:
SYMBOLIC FUNCTION.

• THIS IS THE ABILITY TO REPRESENT OBJECTS AND EVENTS. A SYMBOL IS A

THING THAT REPRESENT SOMETHING ELSE. A DRAWING, A WRITTEN, OR SPOKEN
WORD COMES TO BE UNDERSTOOD AS REPRESENTING A REAL OBJECT LIKE A
REAL MRT TRAIN. SYMBOLIC FUNCTION GRADUALLY DEVELOPS IN THE PERIOD
BETWEEN 2 TO 7 YEARS OLD.
• RIEL A TWO-YEAR OLD MAY PRETEND THAT SHE IS DRINKING FROM A
GLASS WHICH IS REALLY EMPTY. THOUGH SHE ALREADY PRETENDS THE
PRESENCE OF WATER, THE GLASS REMAINS TO BE A GLASS.
• (AROUND FOUR YEARS OF AGE) NICO, MAY AFTER PRETENDING TO DRINK
FROM AN EMPTY GLASS, TURNS THE GLASS INTO A ROCKET SHIP OR A
TELEPHONE.
• (BY THE AGE OF 6 OR 7) THE CHILD CAN PRETEND PLAY WITH OBJECTS
THAT EXIST ONLY IN HIS MIND. ENZO WHO IS SIX, CAN DO A WHOLE NINJA
TURTLE ROUTINE WITHOUT ANY COSTUME NOR “PROPS’’. TRIA, WHO IS 7 CAN
PRETEND TO HOST AN ELABORATE PRINCESS BALL ONLY IN HER MIND
EGOCENTRI
SM.
• THIS IS THE TENDENCY OF THE CHILD TO ONLY SEE
HIS POINT OF VIEW AND TO ASSUME THAT
EVERYONE ALSO HAS A POINT OF VIEW. THE CHILD
CANNOT TAKE THE PERSPECTIVE OF OTHERS.
• FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEONE BREAKS THE
CHILD'S TOY, THE CHILD WOULD NOT FORGIVE THE
OTHER AND THE CHILD WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO
UNDERSTAND THAT THE PERSON WHO BROKE THE
TOY DID NOT INTEND TO BREAK IT.
CENTRATI
ON.
• THIS REFERS TO THE TENDENCY OF THE CHILD TO ONLY FOCUS ON ONE
ASPECT OF A THING OR EVENT AND EXCLUDE OTHER ASPECTS.
• FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN A CHILD IS PRESENTED WITH TWO IDENTICAL
GLASSES WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF WATER, THE CHILD WILL SAY
THEY HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF WATER. HOWEVER, ONCE WATER
FROM ONE OF THE GLASSES IS TRANSFERRED TO AN OBVIOUSLY TALLER
BUT NARROWER GLASS, THE CHILD MIGHT SAY THAT THERE IS TALLER
GLASS. THE CHILD ONLY FOCUSED OR “CENTERED “ONLY ONE ASPECT OF
THE NEW GLASS, THAT IT IS TALLER GLASS. THE CHILD WAS NOT ABLE
TO PERCEIVE THAT THE NEW GLASS IS ALSO NARROWER. THE CHILD
ONLY CENTERED ON THE HEIGHT OF THE GLASS AND EXCLUDED THE
WIDTH IN DETERMINING THE AMOUNT OF WATER IN GLASS .
• PRE -OPERATIONAL STILL
IRREVERSIBILITY.
HAVE THE INABILITY TO
REVERSE THEIR THINKING.
THEY CAN UNDERSTAND
THAT 2+3 IS 5, BUT
CANNOT UNDERSTAND
ANIMISM.

 THIS IS THE TENDENCY OF

CHILDREN TO ATTRIBUTE HUMAN
LIKE TRAITS OR CHARACTERISTICS
TO INANIMATE OBJECTS. WHEN AT
NIGHT, THE CHILD IS ASKED,
WHERE THE SUN IS, SHE WILL
REPLY, ``MR. SUN IS ASLEEP.
TRANSDUCTIVE REASONING.
THIS REFERS TO THE PRE – OPERATIONAL CHILD’S
TYPE OF REASONING THAT IS NEITHER INDUCTIVE
NOR DEDUCTIVE. REASONING APPEARS TO BE
FORM PARTICULAR TO PARTICULAR I.E., IF A
CAUSES B, THEN B CAUSES A.
 FOR EXAMPLE, A CHILD MIGHT SAY THAT IT IS
WINDY OUTSIDE BECAUSE SOMEONE IS BLOWING
VERY HARD, OR THE CLOUDS ARE WHITE
BECAUSE SOMEONE PAINTED THEM THAT COLOR.
 THIS STAGE IS CHARACTERIZED
STAGE 3. CONCRETE – OPERATIONAL
BY
STAGE.
THE ABILITY OF THE CHILD
TO THINK LOGICALLY BUT ONLY
IN TERMS OF CONCRETE
OBJECTS. THIS COVERS
APPROXIMATELY THE AGES
BETWEEN 8-11 YEARS OLD OR
THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
YEARS. THE CONCRETE
 • THIS REFERS TO THE ABILITY OF
DECENTERIN
G. THE CHILD TO PERCEIVE THE
DIFFERENT FEATURES OF
OBJECTS AND SITUATION .NO
LONGER IS THE CHILD FOCUSED
OR LIMITED TO ONE ASPECT OR
DIMENSION. THIS ALLOWS THE
CHILD TO BE MORE LOGICAL
WHEN DEALING WITH
CONCRETE OBJECTS AND
REVERSIBIL
ITY.
• THE CHILD CAN FOLLOW THAT CERTAIN
OPERATIONS CAN BE DONE IN REVERSE.
• FOR EXAMPLE, A CHILD MIGHT BE
ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THAT HIS OR HER
DOG IS A LABRADOR, THAT A LABRADOR
IS A DOG, AND THAT A DOG IS AN
ANIMAL.
 THIS IS THE ABILITY TO KNOW THAT CERTAIN
PROPERTIES OF OBJECTS LIKE NUMBER, MASS,
VOLUME, OR AREA DO NOT CHANGE EVEN IF
CONSERVATION.
THERE IS A CHANGE IN APPEARANCE.
BECAUSE OF THE LEVEL OF THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHILD’S ABILITY OF
DECENTERING AND ALSO REVERSIBILITY. THE
CONCRETE OPERATIONAL CHILD CAN NOW
JUDGE RIGHTLY THAT THE AMOUNT OF WATER
IN A TALLER BUT NARROWER CONTAINER IS
STILL THE SAME AS WHEN THE WATER WAS IN
THE SHORTER BUT WIDER GLASS. THE CHILD
PROCESS TO ATTAIN CONSERVATION ABILITIES
SERIATI
ON.
• THIS IS THE ABILITY TO ORDER OR ARRANGE
THINGS IN A SERIES BASED ON ONE
DIMENSION SUCH AS WEIGHT, VOLUME OR
SIZE.
• AN EXAMPLE OF A SERIATION EXERCISE
WOULD BE: CHILDREN PUTTING OBJECTS IN
ORDER FROM SHORT TO TALL, THIN TO BIG,
SMALL TO LARGE, OR OF IMPORTANCE, AND
SO FORTH.
 FORMAL OPERATIONS
STAGE 4. FORMAL OPERATIONAL
STAGE.
COVERING AGES BETWEEN 12
AND 15 YEARS, THINKING
BECOMES MORE LOGICAL.
THEY CAN NOW SOLVE
ABSTRACT PROBLEMS AND
CAN HYPOTHESIS. THIS STAGE
IS CHARACTERIZED BY THE
HYPOTHETICAL
REASONING.
• THIS IS THE ABILITY TO COME UP WITH
DIFFERENT HYPOTHESIS ABOUT A
PROBLEM AND TO GATHER AND WEIGH
DATA IN ORDER TO MAKE A FINAL
DECISION OR JUDGEMENT. THIS CAN BE
DONE IN THE ABSENCE OF CONCRETE
OBJECTS. THE INDIVIDUALS CAN NOW
DEAL “WHAT IF” QUESTIONS.
ANALOGICAL
REASONING.
• THIS IS THE ABILITY TO PERCEIVE THE RELATIONSHIP IN
ONE INSTANCE AND THEN USE THAT RELATIONSHIP TO
NARROW DOWN POSSIBLE ANSWER IN ANOTHER SIMILAR
SITUATION OR PROBLEM.
• FOR EXAMPLE, IF UNITED KINGDOM IS TO EUROPE,
THEN PHILIPPINES IS TO ASIA. THE INDIVIDUAL WILL
REASON THAT SINCE UK IS FOUND IN THE CONTINENT OF
EUROPE THEN THE PHILIPPINES IS FOUND IN ASIA.
THROUGH REFLECTIVE THOUGHT AND EVEN IN THE
ABSENCE OF CONCRETE OBJECTS. THE INDIVIDUAL CAN
NOW UNDERSTAND RELATIONSHIPS AND DO ANALOGICAL
REASONING.
DEDUCTIVE
REASONING.
• THIS IS THE ABILITY TO THINK LOGICALLY
BY APPLYING A GENERAL RULE TO A
PARTICULAR INSTANCE OR SITUATION.
• FOR EXAMPLE, ALL COUNTRIES NEAR
THE NORTH POLE HAVE COLD
TEMPERATURES. GREENLAND IS NEAR THE
NORTH POLE. THEREFORE, GREENLAND
HAS COLD TEMPERATURE.