Jean Piaget

Jean Piaget

About Jean PiagetBorn August 9 1896 in Neuchtel (Switzerland)Died September 16 1980 in Geneva (Switzerland)

Married in 1923, and had 3 children (Jaqueline, Lucienne and Laurent) who are key to his study of child development.

Stages of Cognitive DevelopmentStageAgeMajor FeaturesSensorimotorBirth 2 yearsObject PermanencePreoperational2 to 6/7 yearsConservation, egocentrismConcrete Operations6-7 to 11 yearsReversibility, empathy, deductive reasoningFormal Operations11 years +Abstract reasoningSensorimotor Period

Playing peekaboo with babies has such an effect on them. Why is this?

Babies think that when something disappears (whether a toy, a pet, a parent) it is gone.

During the sensorimotor phase, babies and toddlers learn that objects do not stop existing when they are out of view, the idea of object permanence.

Preoperational PeriodDuring the preoperational phase, children do not always understand that properties (height, weight, volume, length) remain the same even when we change its shape or arrangement. Conservation develops around the age of 6 or 7.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue8y-JVhjS0&list=PL8648B2E5C69EF71F

Picture 1: Child sees both glasses as the same.Picture 2: Adult pours one glass into a taller cup.Picture 3: Child sees the taller cup as having more liquid because of its height.During the preoperational phase, children are also seen as egocentric.This is why when we play hide and go seek with them, they think even though they are in plain sight, that because they are hiding, they cannot be seen. Children during this phase could be seen as self-centered, believing that everyone sees the world like they do.

Period of Concrete OperationsChildren now understand that items can be changed from one state to another and back.

Children also grow out of the egocentrism and begin to show empathy to others.

Children now understand that items can be changed from one state to another and back.

Children also grow out of the egocentrism and begin to show empathy to others.

Period of Formal Operations

Deductive vs. Abstractive ReasoningThe child in the concrete operational phase understands that a hammer will break a glass. But, when given a rule about the feather breaking the glass, he cannot think abstractly .

The child in the formal operational phase, shows that by following the rule, even though it is abstract, they can come up with a solution to the problem.

Younger children can think deductively, but struggle to think abstractly. ReflectWhich of Piagets stages (sensorimotor, preoperational, operational, formal) is most important in terms of how children learn? Why?

Which is least? Why?

www.piaget.orgPsychology: The Science of Behaviour-2nd Edition (Pearson Education Canada, 2002)