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Cognitive Development

Conference Paper · November 2015

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.32151.11688/1

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Cognitive Development

Steven Whitaker

November 2015
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Introduction

Cognitive development is a field unified by certain themes and beliefs that are

basic; however, it is a vast and varied field especially in regard to cognitive development

in early childhood (Bjorklund, 2013). Throughout childhood, cognitive development

occurs within varies levels. As a result, cognitive development analyzes the nature of

development in regard to how children increase to develop conscious control over

cognition and behavior. Also, how cognitive development happens in a social context

(Bjorklund, 2013). Beyond this brief introduction of cognitive development in early

childhood, this paper will also compare and contrast the theories of Jean Piaget and Lev

Vygotsky as well as apply the theories of cognitive development.

Comparing and Contrasting Theories of Piaget and Vygotsky

Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky proposed two of the more so critical theories of

cognitive development in regard to how the thinking of children develops and changes

from infancy to adulthood. The theories beliefs of Piaget and Vygotsky are similar in

particular ways, but yet are different in other ways. However, Piaget saw children as

inquiring scientists who had an ability of learning by experimenting with one’s

environment. While, Vygotsky regarded children as apprentices who had the ability of

learning from other individuals who had more experience (Introduction, 2010). In

addition, Piaget held the belief that cognitive development occurred in stages while

Vygotsky would focus on themes providing a differing perspective in regard to

development (Broderick & Blewitt, 2015).

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Piaget would develop one of the more so purposeful theories of intellectual

development based on stages. Piaget’s theory details four distinctive stages of cognitive

development. Each stage applies to any possible cognitive activity, and each stage

represents a specific organization of every thought in a unified mental structure. The first

stage, the sensorimotor stage occurs from birth to two years of age and during this stage

children are interacting with their environment. The second stage, the preoperational

thought occurs between the ages of two to seven. In this stage children gain an ability of

representing events and objects with a particular symbol, but do not have the capability of

logical thought. The third stage, the concrete operations is a stage that lasts from seven

years of age to the age of 11. This stage is the stage where children acquire the ability of

logical thought and applying such thought to external world representations.

However, this only occurs in the existence of perceptible objects. The last stage is

formal operations; established by adulthood but begins around 11 years of age. Children

do not just apply logical thought to things, but to ideas as well. For this reason, abstract

representations can occur such as the concept of justice (Stages of development, 2010).

Through his beliefs and theory, Piaget held that development occurred before learning

and that learning was a result of development. As for Vygotsky, his belief in cognitive

development varied from Piaget’s beliefs and theory. Vygotsky held the belief that

development and learning were working in a process by way of socialization and

language. Broderick and Blewitt (2015), “Vygotsky is arguably best known for his

emphasis on the critical role that the culture or society into which one is born plays in the

transmission of knowledge” (p. 108).

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As a result, Vygotsky developed the theory of sociocultural and stressed that the

tools humans use mediated human thinking. Applying this concept to psychological

development, Vygotsky reasoned that cognitive growth was a result of continuous

expansion. As a result, this occurred because of the use of tools by humans and as a result

of the scope by which humans use such tools. These tools or also referred to as signs

were any and everything that humans relied on that helped thinking and learning, such as

writing or numbering systems (Broderick & Blewitt, 2015). For Vygotsky, language was

the more so critical tool. Indeed, Piaget and Vygotsky had similar and differing beliefs

and theories in regard to the concept of cognitive development, but their beliefs and

theories were critical to understanding cognitive development. Understanding such

theories through comparing and contrasting such theories helps for applying these

theories of cognitive development.

Applying Theories of Cognitive Development

As for applying theories of cognitive development, there are numerous ways of

testing for cognitive development in regard to preschool age children. For instance, one

test, in particular, is Piaget’s number conservation task that is useful for testing children

three to four years of age (Broderick & Blewitt, 2015). An example of performing this

test is to use a discrete set of items such as six pencils laid in a row with the same

distance between each pencil. Also, lay out six more pencils in another row directly

below the first row, with the second row of pencils being directly aligned with the first

row. Performing the test occurs done by asking children if the two rows of pencils have

the amount of pencils or if one row has more pencils than the other row. Normally,

children that are between the ages of three to four can determine that the two rows of
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pencils have the same number of pencils. However, when spreading out one row of

pencils further than the other row, children normally think that the row spread out the

furthest has the most amounts of pencils.

Conclusion

In conclusion, cognitive development is a field of study that analyzes just that

cognitive development. As a result, cognitive development critically analyzes the nature

of development throughout early childhood development to understand how cognitive

development occurs. Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky developed two critical theories in

regard to cognitive development, and such theories are similar in particular ways but

differ in other ways. Applying such theories of cognitive development can occur by using

Piaget’s number conservation task.

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References

Bjorklund, D. (2013). Cognitive development: An overview. Oxford Handbooks Online.

Retrieved from http://www.oxfordhandbooks.com

Broderick, P., & Blewitt, P. (2015). The life span: Human development for helping
professionals (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.

Introduction. (2010). In curriculum connections psychology: Cognitive development.

London, UK: Brown Bear Books Ltd. Retrieved from http://library.capella.edu

Stages of development. (2010). In curriculum connections psychology: Cognitive

development. London, UK: Brown Bear Books Ltd. Retrieved from
http://library.capella.edu

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