Theory of Cognitive Development

Theory of cognitive development, Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, believes children take an active role in their learning. Like child scientists, they perform experiments, make observations, figure things out. With increased interaction as they age, they add new knowledge to what they already know and adapt existing ideas to new information. Piaget’s seminal work, The Origins of Intelligence in Children, 1936, focuses not only on how children acquire knowledge, but also on the nature of intelligence. His theory contains three mental processes still relevant today: assimilation (incorporating new information in existing schemas or mental frameworks), accommodation (modifying existing schemas or creating new ones to fit new information), and equilibration (balance schemas and new experiences through assimilation/accommodation). When a child encounters new information in conflict with an existing schema, they experience disequilibrium. To restore balance, they engage in assimilation/accommodation, leading to cognitive growth and development. Piaget’s four states of learning, from sensation to abstraction, are:

• Sensorimotor (birth–2 years): Infants learn through sensory experiences and motor actions, developing object permanence (understanding objects continue to exist when out of sight).
• Preoperational (2–7 years): Children begin to use symbols and language, but not abstract concepts and logical reasoning.
• Concrete operational (7–11 years): Children develop logical thinking skills related to concrete objects and events but still struggle with abstract ideas.
• Formal operational (11 years–older): Individuals develop the ability to think abstractly, hypothetically, and systematically.