PIAGET’S COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
Biographical sketch of Jean Piaget (1896-1980):
He was born in 1896 and died in 1980. He belongs to Switzerland.
He was a biologist, educationist and a psychologist. At the age of 10 years he
published an article on a bird called ‘Albino Sparrow’ and at the age of 14
years, he sent a monograph on an animal ‘Mollusus’ (snail) at the national
level. He got the doctorate degree in Zoology under the influence of Sigmond
Frend at the age of 21 years. He observed that there is a close relationship
between an organism and environment.
According to him, the
cognitive development means how knowledge is acquired and developed through
successive stages and at various age levels. His theory is also called “Genetic
Epistemology”.
Intellectual Process:
1.
Schemes: ‘Schemes’ are patterns of behavior
that children exhibit in dealing with objects in space. In case of children,
schemes can be simple like the pattern of behavior shown by a child in grasping
an object within his reach. It is complex in case of adults. They show it when
they try to solve an intricate mathematical problem.
2.
Assimilation: Assimilation takes place when the
organism uses some object in the environment in the course of its activity. It
occurs when the new is drawn into the old behavior pattern and becomes part of
the child’s inner organization.
3.
Accommodation: Accommodation
refers to adjusting the old added to the infant’s previously learnt pattern of
behavior, same sort of inequilibrium or imbalance is created.
Piagetian Four Levels or Stages of Cognition Piaget conceives the
following periods of intellectual development:
1.
The period of sensor motor
activity(Birth to 2 years)
2.
The pre-operational stage (2 to 7
years)
3.
The concrete-operational stage (7 to
12 years)
4.
The period of formal operations (From
12 years onwards)
1. The Period of Sensor Motor Activity:
The period of sensor motor
activity covers the period of birth until 18 to 24 months. During this period,
the infant’s actions are not yet internalized in the form of thoughts. The
infant exercises sensor motor capacities by sucking, handling or by moving
objects. He behaves as if objects that
have disappeared from view have ceased to exist.
2. The Pre –operational Stage:
This stage coincides with the period two years until six years or
seven years (Early Childhood). This is the period preparatory to that of
concrete operations. As the stage of early childhood sets in, the child begins
to make internal symbolic representations and to invent solutions rather than
depend on trial and error. This is the beginning of pre-operational stage.
Ego-centrism: This stage is marked by egocentrism. There is natural
shift from the sensor motor stage to logical and social egocentricity. His own
perspective of the world is all that matters for him. He fails to understand another’s
point of view.
Animism: Animism is another characteristic of this stage. Children
between four and six years of age, regard everything to be alive unless it is
broken or damaged. Children up to seven years of age regard everything that
moves to be alive. For children of eight to ten years, everything that moves by
itself is alive. Children at the late childhood stage, reserve life for animals
and plants or animals alone.
3. Concrete operations Stage:
As soon as children reach the end of the pre-operational stage,
children begin to understand the principle of conservation. Conservation is the
ability to recognize the basic attributes of an object such as number or
weight, to remain the same even when the appearance of the object is changed.
At this stage, geocentricism is diluted. Now, the child communicated with
others, compares other’s point of view by his own and takes decision after some
thought. At this stage, spirit of cooperation and competition can be developed.
4. Stage of Formal Operations:
During this stage, the child develops the ability of thinking and
reasoning of the objects which are beyond the immediate world, through the
problems are systematically solved. Trial and error gives way to some logic.
The child learns by mistakes.
Educational Implications of Piaget’s Theory:
1. Providing Variety of Experiences:
The process of education
should attend to all these aspects, because education is nothing but trying to
bring about the mental development of the child. Perceptions and concept
formations are the basis of mental development and therefore a variety of
experiences should be provided to the students and they should also be guided
to form concepts or generalizations on the basis of their observations and
experiences.
2. Emphasis on the Mastery of Language:
Language is another factor in mental
development and therefore any system of education must emphasize the
acquisition and mastery of language. Self-expression, communication of ideas,
reasoning and thinking- all depend upon the facility with which an individual
is in a position to use the tool of language. Therefore, a good system of
education must emphasis the teaching and learning of language.
3. Emphasis on Thinking and Reasoning:
Mental development is also
brought about the process of thinking. Therefore such methods of thinking
should be used which emphasizes the use or reasoning and thinking.
4. Greater Emphasis on Development of Intellect:
Great emphasis should be put on the
development of intellect of the pupils as education is more or less synonymous
with the intellectual development of the pupils. 
