MULUNGUSHI UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

STUDENT NUMBER: 202300470

NAME: Patrick Botha

PROGRAM: Bachelor of Psychology

COURSE: PSYCHOLINGUISTICS

COURSE CODE: ENG 22

LECTURER: MS, MOONGA, I.

QUESTION: OUTLINE AND EXPLAIN JEAN

PIAGET’S STAGES OF COGNITIVE
DEVELOPMENT.
Here will learn about Jean Piaget’s stages of cognitive development, they’re four stages.
Namely SENSORY MOTOR STAGE, PRE-OPERATIONAL STAGE, CONCRETE
OPERATIONAL STAGE, AND finally FORMAL OPERATIONAL STAGE. All these
stages happen at different times in a child’s life. We will look at each stage and all the
things that happen to a child in detail each of the stages, and we will also look at the
criticism this theory has faced over the years since Jean Piaget’s come up it.

The Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget come up with a theory called stages of cognitive
development cause people used to think that children were a spitting image of they
parents but Jean disagreed and come up with this theory, this theory talks about how
child grow up and how they cognitive mind develops. So, we will start with the first
stage that’s:

Sensory motor stage is the first of the cognitive development, so this sage starts from the
moment a child is born to the age of 2. What happens here is that a child learns through
5 senses, children experience the world through senses and movement which are touch,
smell, taste, sight, sound. We develop through experience and movement; we develop
working memory. For example, a mum could show her child a teddy bear and then hide
It, a child would believe that the teddy bear has disappeared this is normal cause
children at this age believe that when they can’t see the object that means it has
disappeared. Here children are very curios they want to know more about things, so
they ask a lot of questions, smell a lot of plants, taste food, talk to strangers, they also
learn to sit, stand, crawl, and run. The only thing about kids at this stage is that they are
egocentric, they think their option is the only one that matters, mean we can only look at
the world from they point of view. This stage is divided into six sub-stages, highlighting
the progression from reflexive actions to goal-directed behaviour (PIAGET, 1954). They
learn using the environment. Here will learn about Jean Piaget’s stages of cognitive
development

Next, we have pre-operational stage this is from the age of 2 to 7, children during this
age usually think of things symbolically and use language (CAVALA, 2021). They will
engage in play pretend and develop memory and imagination, allowing them to
represent objects and experiences symbolically (PIAGET, 1954). Here if you show
children two glasses of water with equal amounts of water, young children in this stage
often believe a taller glass holds more, reflecting a focus on appearance rather than logic
(GOSWAMI, 2008). The only thing is that children at this age remain egocentric, they
only see the world through they own eyes and think other people’s views don’t matter.
Here they also have imaginary friends, they make up friends in they mind and think
they are real and that they can talk to them even though they are not real.

After this we have concrete operational stage, this form is from 7-11. At this stage,
children develop the ability to think logically about concrete events and objects,
allowing them to understand concepts like conservation, where an objects properties
remain constant despite changes in form (PIAGET, 1954). For example, children now
recognize the water poured into different shaped containers retains the same volume,
displaying a shift from intuitive to logical reasoning (FLAVELL, 1963). Here children
become less egocentric, they start to take other people’s feelings into consideration

One key feature of this stage is the development of decentration, where children can
consider multiple aspects of the situation simultaneously. This skill supports
understanding of concepts such as reverse actions (PIAGET, 1954). However, abstract
thinking remains limited, as children can only apply logic to tangible, real-world
situations (GOSWAMI, 2008).

Lastly, we have formal operational stage, this is from 12 going up. When we become
teenagers, we become formally operational.at this point where individuals gain the
ability for abstract and hypothetical reasoning (PIAGET, 1954).

Unlike younger children, adolescents in this stage can think about possibilities,
systematically test hypotheses and understand abstract concepts like justice and
freedom (INHELDER, 1958). This capacity allows for deductive reasoning, where they
can derive specific conclusions from general principles. For example, adolescents can
tackle problems in algebra and science, imaging multiple potential outcomes to an
experiment (FLAVELL, 1963).

A notable feature of this stages ability for metacognition or thinking about one’s own
thought processes, which aids in self-reflection and critical thinking (WADSWORTH,
2004). However, Piaget noted that not all individuals reach full formal operational
thinking, as it depends on both cognitive maturation and educational experience.
(GOSWAMI, 2008). Piaget’s insights into this stage have influenced educational
approaches by emphasizing the importance of teaching strategies that promote abstract
things such as problem solving and reasoning tasks (WADSWORTH, 2004).
 Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development has been essential in shaping our
understanding of how children think and learn, but it hasn’t been without criticism.
One major point of critique is the rigid structure of his stage-based model. Piaget
proposed that children progress through fixed, universal stages of cognitive growth in a
set order. However, many researchers argue that cognitive development doesn’t follow
such a strict path. Instead, it’s often more flexible, with children sometimes showing
abilities from multiple stages at once rather than progressing linearly (CASE, 1992)

Piaget’s theory has also been critiqued for not adequately considering the role of culture
and social context. Psychologist Lev Vygotsky argued that social interactions and
cultural influences play a crucial role in children’s cognitive development, presenting a
more community-focused perspective compared to Piaget’s individualistic approach
(VYGOTSKY, 1978).

Lastly, some of Piaget’s research methods have been questioned. He based much of his
theory on observations of his own children and small sample groups, which raises
questions about how widely his findings apply (DONALDON, 1978). Despite these
criticisms, Piaget’s theory has inspired further research and alternative models that
continue to deepen our understanding of cognitive development.

In conclusion, Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development has been a cornerstone in

developmental psychology, providing deep insights into how children’s thinking evolves.
His stage-based model brought structure to understanding cognitive growth, and
concepts like conservation, object permanence, and egocentrism remain influential.
However, the theory has also faced substantial criticism. Critics have pointed out the
rigidity of Piaget’s stages, his tendency to underestimate young children’s abilities, and
his limited consideration of cultural and social factors. Additionally, questions about his
research methods have raised concerns over the generalizability of his findings. Despite
these critiques, Piaget’s work has sparked valuable research and dialogue, leading to a
more nuanced view of cognitive development that incorporates individual, social, and
cultural influences, ultimately enriching our understanding of how children learn and
think.
References
CASE, R., 1992. THE MIND'S STAIRCASE: EXPLORING THE CONCEPUAL UNDERPINNINGS OF
CHILDREN'S THOUGHT AND KNOWLEDGE. s.l.:s.n.

CAVALA, F., 2021. TEACHINGS IN EDUCATION. [Online]

Available at: http://www.teachingineducation.com
[Accessed 22 OCTOBER 2024].

DONALDON, M., 1978. CHILDREN'S MINDS. LONDON : FONTANA.

FLAVELL, J., 1963. THE DEVELOPMENT PSYCHOLOGY OF JEAN PIAGET. PRINCETON: VAN NOSTRAND .

GOSWAMI, U., 2008. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT: THE LEARNING BRAIN. LONDON : PSYCHOLOGY
PRESS.

INHELDER, B. J., 1958. THE GROWTH OF LOGICAL THINKING FROM CHILDHOOD TO ADOLESCENCE.
NEW YORK : BASIC BOOKS .

PIAGET, J., 1954. THE CONSTRUCTION OF REALITY IN THE CHILD. NEW YORK : BASIC OOKS .

VYGOTSKY, L., 1978. MIND IN SOCIETY: THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHER PSYCHOLOGICAL PROCESSES.
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WADSWORTH, B., 2004. PIAGET'S THEORY OF CONGNITIVE AND AFFECTIVE DEVELOPMENT. BOSTON :
ALLYN AND BACON .