Valmonte, Jeremy Allyza August 2, 2017

ACT 155 Prof. Christian Bryan De Dios

General Psychology

Jean Piaget’s Cognitive Theory of Development

SCHEMA- Schemas are the basic building blocks of such cognitive models, and enable
us to form a mental representation of the world.

ASSIMILATION- is a term referring to another part of the adaptation process initially

proposed by Jean Piaget. 

ACCOMODATION- is the cognitive process of revising existing cognitive schemas,

perceptions, and understanding so that new information can be incorporated. 

4 Stages of Cognitive Development

STAGE AGE EXPLANATION PHENOMENA

 The infant knows the world
through their movements and
sensations.
 Children learn about the world
Object Performance-
through basic actions such as
Sensory Motor knowing that an object
0-2 Years Old sucking, grasping, looking, and
Stage still exists, even if it is
listening.
hidden.
 Infants learn that things continue
to exist even though they cannot
be seen 

The 2 to 7 Years  Children begin to think Egocentrism- refers to

Preoperational Old symbolically and learn to use
Stage words and pictures to represent
objects.
 Children at this stage tend to be
egocentric and struggle to see
things from the perspective of
others.
 While they are getting better with
language and thinking, they still
tend to think about things in very
concrete terms.
the child's inability to
see a situation from
another person's point
of view.
Symbolic Play-
Toddlers often pretend
to be people they are
not and may play these
roles with props that
symbolize real life
objects. Children may
 also invent an
imaginary playmate.
Animism- is the belief
that inanimate objects
have human feelings
and intentions.
Artificialism- is the
belief that certain
aspects of the
environment are
manufactured by
people
 They begin to understand the
concept of conservation; that the
amount of liquid in a short, wide
cup is equal to that in a tall, Conservation- is the
skinny glass. understanding that
Concrete
7 to 11 Years  Their thinking becomes more something stays the
Operational
Old logical and organized, but still same in quantity even
Stage
very concrete. though its appearance
 Children begin using inductive changes
logic, or reasoning from specific
information to a general principle.

 The adolescent or young adult Logic/ Abstract

begins to think abstractly and thinking- is the ability
reason about hypothetical to think about objects,
problems. principles, and ideas
Formal  Teens begin to think more about
11 Years and that are not physically
Operational moral, philosophical, ethical,
Over present. It is related to
Stage social, and political issues that symbolic thinking,
require theoretical and abstract which uses the
reasoning. substitution of a symbol
for an object or idea.

Source: https://www.verywell.com/piagets-stages-of-cognitive-development-2795457