Cognitive development: what is it? (Piaget theory)

What is cognitive development?

Cognitive development are all the processes through which the human being acquires skills that allow him to interpret reality and interact with it in an efficient way. Therefore, cognitive or cognitive development is understood as the evolution of intellectual capacities, of which intelligence is one of the most important.

Several authors have developed theories on cognitive development. However, Jean Piaget, a leading Swiss researcher in the area of ​​human behavior, made the most enduring contributions in this regard in the 20th century.

Piaget's theory of cognitive development

In the mid-20th century, Jean Piaget argued that cognitive development began at birth, and that it was a combination of environmental factors and biological maturation processes.

Piaget's development theory describes 4 stages or phases, and assumes that cognitive processes are gradually organized, in such a way that it is not possible to acquire the skills of a stage without having gone through the previous stage.

To understand how cognitive development is achieved, it is essential to know some of the functions that have been fine-tuned with the evolutionary process and that are essential in this process:

Language

Language development involves learning and using a symbol system (such as writing) and the ability to understand and transmit them.

Lexicon

It is the set of words that have been learned and that are necessary to express thoughts and ideas.

Memory

It includes all the processes through which the brain collects and uses information without having to learn it again each time it is needed.

This cognitive function also includes working memory, which is what makes possible the storage of the lexicon.

Attention

Attention involves the functioning of neural networks dedicated to the compression of one stimulus at a time, and this capacity is essential in the learning process, in which selective reception of information is necessary.

Perception

Perception involves recording and interpreting sensory experiences, as well as the ability to turn that recording into a representation of reality.

Intelligence

Intelligence involves the processing of all information that comes from the environment in an efficient way, so that it is possible to access it and apply it in problem solving.

All these cognitive functions work simultaneously and are essential for the development of the individual, and in turn will have an impact on the formation of their behavior.

See also:

• Cognitive. Cognitive paradigm.

Piaget's 4 Phases of Cognitive Development

Researcher Jean Piaget identified four stages of cognitive development that begin at birth and culminate in adolescence, and which have become a guide for determining the advancement or evolution of childhood intelligence.

Sensorimotor stage

This phase begins at birth and ends at approximately two years of age. Some of the characteristics of this stage are:

• Reflex activity: they are the involuntary and automatic responses to a stimulus, for example, the tendency of the baby to close his fist to the contact of an object with the palm of his hand Repeat movements: during the first months of life, the baby He will repeat body movements that are pleasing to him. Troubleshooting through trial and error: Baby will also run repetitions to solve problems, such as finding an object that has been lost from sight. Execution of intentional actions to achieve a goal, such as removing the sheet from the face, discovering a hidden object, etc. First attempts at oral communication: the first words emerge that will later give rise to basic sentences.

Pre-operational stage

It is a cognitive stage that begins at two years and ends at 7, coinciding with the initiation in the school world. This phase is characterized by:

• Use of symbols: they begin to understand the metaphorical language of children's stories, although there is no clear separation between the real and the fantasy. Use of language and imagination: there is a greater wealth of vocabulary and sentences are longer and more complex. They can also express themselves creatively through the use of colors, drawings, etc. Self-centered thinking: Empathy and awareness have not been developed to understand other needs or points of view. Underdeveloped logical thinking: The child's reactions and problem solving are not guided by logic, but by imitation.

Concrete actions stage

Between 7 and 11 years the stage of concrete actions is experienced. These are some of its characteristics:

• Use of logical thinking to understand reality: reactions and problem solving are not carried out by imitation, but by a process of self-reflection. Differentiation between the real world and fantasy. Ability to classify objects and establish hierarchies: children can organize objects by color or shape, they can create series of numbers, etc.

Formal operations stage

This stage of cognitive development begins at age 11 and ends at age 15, coinciding with the physical, biological, and emotional changes of adolescence. Among its most outstanding features are:

• The process of defining identity begins: the child is selected those things with which he feels identified: hobbies, tastes, ways of dressing, thinking and relating, etc. Use of hypothetical-deductive thinking: the consequences of a fact can be inferred without having to carry it out. Interest in generating new social ties: the desire to belong at this stage can stimulate adolescents to join new groups or to strengthen their ties. Egocentric thinking continues: since everything revolves around the individual's perception of reality, it is much more sensitive to criticism and rejection.

See also Piaget development stages.