Infant Cognitive Development
Piaget’s Cognitive Developmental Theory

Stage theory: qualitative change in thought that is universal
What changes with development?

Schemes: way to make sense of experiences
– Move from action to mental level
How does cognitive change happen?


Adaptation: schemes change by interacting with environment
– Assimilation: use current schemes to interpret environment
– Accomodation: change schemes to match environment
Organization: internal rearranging of schemes
When does cognitive change happen?


Equilibrium: comfortable, steady state; little development
Disequilibrium: cognitive discomfort; rapid change
Sensorimotor stage

(newborns – 2yrs)
Stage 1-4: Reflexes, to motor habits, to circular
reactions, to more intentional goal-directive
behaviors

Object permanence (8-12mo): objects continue to
exist, even when out of sight
Methods

Object permanence (8-12mo): objects continue to
exist, even when out of sight
Methods
Sensorimotor stage


(newborns – 2yrs)
Sub 5: Toddlers repeat behaviors with deliberate
exploration
(12-18 mo)
Sub 6: Mental representations
(18mo - 2 yrs)
– Solve problems symbolically, rather than trial-error
– Concepts allow efficient thinking
– Images allow make-believe play
& imitation
Evaluation of Piaget’s Sensorimotor Stage

Underestimated infant’s abilities
– Object permanence found in 3mo olds using violationof-expectation method (Baillargeon, 1991)
Evaluation of Piaget’s Sensorimotor Stage

Underestimated infant’s abilities
– Object permanence found in 3mo olds using violationof-expectation method (Baillargeon, 1991)
– Deferred imitation in 6-week olds!
– **Problem solving**

More continuous than stage like

But… sensorimotor activity
does matter!
**Information Processing Approach**
Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory

Continuous: quantitative
How does cognitive change happen?


Socially: cognitive development originates in social
interaction
Cultural: specific cognitive tasks accomplished varies
cultures
Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory

Continuous: quantitative
How does cognitive change happen?


Socially: cognitive development originates in social
interaction
Cultural: specific cognitive tasks accomplished varies
cultures
When does cognitive change happen?

Zone of proximal development:
range of ability with and without
help from knowledgeable other
Ability to perform cognitive task
Cannot perform task
Independent performance
(developmental level)
Zone of
Proximal Development
In-class Activity 3
The purpose of this assignment is to
evaluate whether the concepts discussed
in the book and class about perceptual
and cognitive development in infancy are
implemented in the “real world” of infant
toy development.