Piaget's Theory Of Cognitive Developement

Piaget's basic theory which includes, assimilation, accommodation

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  • Created by: Jade
  • Created on: 05-04-11 09:06

the theory

Children construct knowledge of the world by engaging with it

children are seen as the explorer

through investigation children learn how to adapt to the world around them

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Key Concepts

Adaptation: - process which the child changes its mental models of the world to match more closely how the world actually is

Schema: - a collection of ideas which are organised knowledge to guide actions

e.g. if we need to find something in our room we hunt for it, Piaget would say we are using our 'hunting for things' schema

infants develop schema's through interactions with the environment

as a child gets older the schema's become more.....complex, numerous, abstract and interconnected

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Assimilation abnd Accommodation

Assimilation: - process of fitting new info and experiences into existing schema's

                     i.e. into what a child already knows and understands

Accommodation:- process of modifying an existing schema by expanding it or creating a new one when new info, a new object or a new situation can;t be assimilated into the existing schema

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The intellect strives to maintain a sense of balance (equilibrium)

if an experience can't be assimilated a state of disequilibrium arise i.e. the child can't understand its experience in terms of existing schema

child uses assimilation and accommodation to restore equilibrium

imbalance motivates a child to learn new skills and knowledhe

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Have a go at this question to help your understanding

"write a paragraph describing a child adapting its understanding of the world due to an experience it has had."

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Fyzah :p

Thanks :)

This is really helpful :D

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