Understanding Understanding Intellectual Development Intellectual Development

of Infantsof InfantsChapter 10.1Chapter 10.1

Child/Human DevelopmentChild/Human Development

Learning in the First YearLearning in the First Year

Perception-Perception- learn from senses learn from senses 4 abilities in growing/ thinking 4 abilities in growing/ thinking

power:power: 1. Remembering (11. Remembering (1stst few months) few months) 2. Making associations2. Making associations 3. Understanding cause and 3. Understanding cause and

effecteffect 4. Paying Attention4. Paying Attention

Learning in the First YearLearning in the First Year

Turn to page 322-323Turn to page 322-323 Which of these Which of these

developments have you developments have you observed in infants?observed in infants?

Describe a situation and tell Describe a situation and tell me how you responded to me how you responded to the infant’s actions? the infant’s actions?

How did that response affect How did that response affect the infant?the infant?

Piaget’s TheoriesPiaget’s Theories

Jean Piaget, Swiss psychologistJean Piaget, Swiss psychologist Found that intellectual Found that intellectual

development is followed by a development is followed by a pattern.pattern.

Children learn to master one Children learn to master one thinking skill before they can thinking skill before they can master anothermaster another

Children cannot be forced by Children cannot be forced by parents or teachers to develop parents or teachers to develop understanding fasterunderstanding faster

He discovered 4 major periods He discovered 4 major periods

Jean Piaget (1896-1980)Jean Piaget (1896-1980)

The Sensorimotor PeriodThe Sensorimotor Period

Sensorimotor period- Sensorimotor period- birth- age 2birth- age 2- Babies learn primarily through Babies learn primarily through

their senses and their own actionstheir senses and their own actions- Object permanence- Object permanence- (10 mo.) – (10 mo.) –

realize that objects continue to realize that objects continue to exist even when they are out of exist even when they are out of sightsight

- Turn to p. 326: 6 sub stagesTurn to p. 326: 6 sub stages

The Preoperational PeriodThe Preoperational Period Preoperational Period- Preoperational Period- age 2-7 age 2-7 Children think about everything in Children think about everything in

terms of their own activities and of terms of their own activities and of what they perceive at the moment what they perceive at the moment (Conservation)(Conservation)

Understand abstract terms like Understand abstract terms like lovelove and and beautybeauty

May not be aware of what is real May not be aware of what is real or make-believeor make-believe

Concentrate on one thing at a Concentrate on one thing at a timetime

The Concrete Operations The Concrete Operations PeriodPeriod

Concrete Operations PeriodConcrete Operations Period- - 7-11 years old7-11 years old Children can think logically but Children can think logically but

still learn best from direct still learn best from direct experienceexperience

Understand conservationUnderstand conservation Classification (ex. Food, Classification (ex. Food,

animals)animals)

The Formal Operations PeriodThe Formal Operations Period Formal Operations Period-Formal Operations Period- Age 11- adulthoodAge 11- adulthood Children become capable of Children become capable of

abstract thinkingabstract thinking Able to think about what might Able to think about what might

have been the cause of an have been the cause of an event without really event without really experiencing the causeexperiencing the cause

Can form ideas and understand Can form ideas and understand deeperdeeper

Using Piaget’s IdeasUsing Piaget’s Ideas

Symbolic Thinking-Symbolic Thinking- the use of the use of words and numbers to stand for words and numbers to stand for ideasideas

Piaget showed that young Piaget showed that young children learn in their own way children learn in their own way other than adultsother than adults

QuestionsQuestions

What do you think is a criticism of What do you think is a criticism of Piaget’s ideas?Piaget’s ideas?

What are the four stages of Piaget’s What are the four stages of Piaget’s intellectual development?intellectual development?

What stage do you believe a What stage do you believe a kindergartener is in?kindergartener is in?

Why might children in the Why might children in the preoperational period be able to preoperational period be able to understand such abstract terms as understand such abstract terms as love and beauty? love and beauty?