Page 1 of 8 Course: CHDV 100 Instructor: R. Barrett. Week 6 Chapter 6: The First Two Years: Cognitive Development

of 8 Course: CHDV 100 Instructor: R. Barrett Week 6 Chapter 6: The First Two Years: Cognitive Development I Piaget-Background Information Swiss psychologist, active researcher from Early interest in biology, but became interested in Worked in lab in Paris Sensorimotor Stage the first period of infant development according to Piaget s stage theory. Piaget believed that infants are in their cognitive. Sensorimotor intelligence describes the fact that infants between learn and interact with the world almost exclusively through their. Stage 1 Reflexes (birth to 1 month) such as sucking and grasping, are newborn s only ways of about world. Stage 2 The First Acquired Adaptations (1-4 months) Infant starts to adapt reflexes and to coordinate two actions (e.g. ). Stage 3 Making Interesting Sights Last (4-8 months) - Infants more responsive as they learn to that have elicited.. Stage 4 New Adaptation and Anticipation (8-12 months) - Infants more purposeful in responding to people and objects, engage in goal-directed behavior.

of 8 Course: CHDV 100 Instructor: R. Barrett Stage 5 New Means Through Active Experimentation (12-18 months) Toddlers behave like little scientists, more active in exploration, using experimentation to solve problems, interact with environment. Stage 6 New Means Through Mental Combinations (18-24 months) Toddlers begin to anticipate and solve simple problems in their heads, using mental combinations. There are two major aspects to his theory: the process of coming to know and the stages we move through as we gradually acquire this ability. II Principles of Piaget s Theory: Mental Structures a) Behavior is controlled through mental organizations called schemes that the individual uses to represent the world and designate action. b) Operation internalized schema that has reversibility c) Adaptation is driven by a biological drive to obtain balance between schemes and the environment (equilibration). III Piaget described two processes used by the individual in its attempt to adapt: assimilation and accomodation Both of these processes are used throughout life as the person increasingly adapts to the environment in a more complex manner. Assimilation - Use of current schemes to interpret the external world.

of 8 Course: CHDV 100 Instructor: R. Barrett Accomodation -Adjusting old schemes or creating new ones after noticing that current thinking does not capture the environment completely As schemes become increasingly more complex (i.e., responsible for more complex behaviors) they are termed structures. As one's structures become more complex, they are organized in a hierarchical manner (i.e., from general to specific). IV Circular Reactions Involves stumbling onto a new experience caused by the baby s motor activity. Reaction is circular because the infant tries to repeat the event again and again. Results are the accidental response becomes strengthened into a new scheme A) Reflexive Circular Reactions: Birth-1 month: Reflexes are the building blocks of sensormotor intelligence; Examples: B) Primary Circular Reactions 1 month-12 months: Infant takes in experiences and tries to make sense of them. Examples: C) Secondary: 4-12 months- Actions repeat interesting effects that are caused by the baby s own actions; reactions are combined into new, more complex actions. Examples: D) Tertiary: 12-24 months- Circular reactions become experimental and creative, emerges ability to create.. Examples:

of 8 Course: CHDV 100 Instructor: R. Barrett Cognitive Development Mental Combinations- that a toddler intellectually develops performing them. Examples: Deferred Imitation- A where an infant sees something that someone else does and then.examples: V Cognitive Skill: Object Permanence The realization that (including people) even when they be, or. Piaget s test for Object Permanence: Hidden Objects Stages in the Development of Object Concept Stage 1- & Sensory Experiences: 1-4 months Stage 2- to,, : 4-8 months Stage 3- Hidden objects but with : 8-12 months Stage 4-Hidden objects with 12-24 months VI Perceptual abilities Perception-mental of information from what an infant and. - attention that is primed to focus on movement of objects and changes in their position

of 8 Course: CHDV 100 Instructor: R. Barrett Test Your Knowledge Order the following achievements by Piaget s 6 stages of sensormotor intelligence. Use 1-6 to designate stage. Baby cries when she sees her mother put on her coat Baby laughs when tickled and shakes arm with pleasure when a rattle is put in her hand Baby sucks the nipple and anything else that comes near her mouth Baby experiments with her spoon, banging first the dish, then high chair, and finally throwing it on the floor Baby refuses a pacifier and shows displeasure cries Baby has temper tantrum after observing in an older child. Eleanor Gibson s research on infants cognitive process Environment opportunities Certain serve as for Infant s Cognitive Development is Assisted by. 1. Affordance- An for perception and interaction that is by people, places and objects in the 2. Graspability is based on the of whether or not an is the proper and to afford.

of 8 Course: CHDV 100 Instructor: R. Barrett Visual Cliffs - An but not actual between one and another. VIII Symbolic Representation: use of a word, picture, gesture, or other sign to represent past and present events, experiences, and concepts. Sequence of Development: 1. Stand pretending 2. with objects 3. in pretending IX Cognitive Skill: Categorization Shape- Color Angle Density- Size- Number X Infant Memory Development in early years is fragile Memory is tied to brain maturation & language development memories: memories:

of 8 Course: CHDV 100 Instructor: R. Barrett Language Development in First Two Years: Age Hearing/Understanding Birth- 3 months Talking Babbling,repeats sounds, lot of cooing, cries 4-6 months Responds to tone of voice, look for sound and notice sounds 7-12 months Use one or more words, follows simple instructions Age 12-24 months 24-36 months Hearing/Understanding Follows simple requests and understands simple questions, points to body parts when asked or pictures in a book Talking Names objects, speech is understandable 2-3 word sentences Developmental Levels of Language -Applying a word too narrowly; i.e.

of 8 Course: CHDV 100 Instructor: R. Barrett Overextension-Applying a word beyond its true meaning; i.e. Receptive (Birth 1 year) i.e. Expressive (End of 1st year) to beginning first words i.e. XI Theories on How Language Develops 1. Behaviourist Theory Skinner (1957) Language is language is acquired by and listening and responding to is sufficient 2. Nativism Theory Based on Chomsky (1959, but also Chomsky 1965, 1981, 1990, 1997 etc. etc. etc.) Language just be t GRAMMAR (L.A.D) Child maps details of native language onto universal grammar 3. Constructivist Theory -Cognitive Theory (e.g. Bates, 1979): based on Piagetian theory dependent on / -> language Conclusions from these theories Language is a by children Sequence of seems stable How it is learnt is : 3 types of theory: behaviourism nativism constructivism