Piaget's theory of cognitive development proposes that children progress through four distinct stages as their minds develop: sensorimotor (birth to age 2), preoperational (ages 2 to 7), concrete operational (ages 7 to 11), and formal operational (ages 11 to 15). At each stage, children demonstrate new cognitive abilities as their thinking becomes more complex and abstract. Piaget believed that children's interactions with the environment help them build cognitive structures at each stage that prepare them for the next level of development. His theory emphasizes that children are active learners who construct their own understanding of the world.

1. Piaget’s Theory ofPiaget’s Theory of
Cognitive DevelopmentCognitive Development
In ChildrenIn Children
Presentation By:Presentation By:
Miriam AndersonMiriam Anderson
Peggy BelgravePeggy Belgrave
Penny LanePenny Lane
Richard MichalekRichard Michalek

2. Piaget’s BackgroundPiaget’s Background
• Born: August 9, 1896
• Died: Sept. 16, 1980
• Birth Place:
– Neuchatel, Switzerland
• Education:
– Received PhD from
University of Neuchatel
• Married in 1923 to
Valentine Chatenay and
bore 3 children
• (Piaget, 1952)

3. The BeginningThe Beginning
• Piaget was interested in
the study of knowledge in
children.
• He administered Binet’s
IQ test in Paris and
observed that children’s
answers were
qualitatively different.
• Piaget’s theory is based on the
idea that the developing child
builds cognitive structures
(schemes used to understand
and respond to physical
environment).
• He believed the child’s
cognitive structure increased
with development
(Brainerd,1978).

4. Genetic EpistemologyGenetic Epistemology
• Epistemology is the
study of knowledge
• Genetic is
development
• Definition of Genetic
Epistemology
– Study of
developmental
changes in the
process of knowing
and in the organization
of knowledge.
• Piaget wanted to know
how children learned
through their
development in the
study of knowledge.
• He was considered a
structuralist
– Structuralism: the
relationship between the
parts and the whole
(Brainerd,1978; Piaget,
1952).

5. MethodologyMethodology
• Clinical
– Interviews
– Interaction with the child
• Behavioral Observations
– Watched kids in their
natural environment.
– Put down what represented
his idea, he was biased
(Brainerd, 1978).

6. Characteristics of Piaget’s StagesCharacteristics of Piaget’s Stages
1. Each stage is a structured whole and in
a state of equilibrium
 The stages are qualitative within the
structures and quantitative between
structures
1. Each stage derives from the previous
stage and incorporate and transform to
prepare for the next
 No going back

7. Characteristics ContinuedCharacteristics Continued
3. The stages follow an invariant sequence.
 There is no skipping stages.
4. The stages are universal.
 Culture does not impact the stages.
Children everywhere go through the same
stages no matter what their cultural
background is.

8. Characteristics ContinuedCharacteristics Continued
5. Each stage is a
coming into being.
 There is a gradual
progression from
stage to stage
(Brainerd, 1978).

9. Stages of DevelopmentStages of Development
• Piaget’s theory identifies four
developmental stages and the processes
by which children progress through them.
• The four stages are:
1. Sensorimotor Stage (birth to 24 months)
2. Preoperational Stage (2-7 years old)
3. Concrete Operational Stage (7-11 years old)
4. Formal Operational Stage (11-15 years old)
(Brainerd, 1978).

10. Sensorimotor StageSensorimotor Stage
• In this period, intelligence is demonstrated
through motor activity without the use of
symbols.
• Knowledge of the world is limited (but
developing) because it is based on
physical interactions and experiences.
• Some symbolic abilities are developed at
the end of this stage.

11. 6 Stages of Sensorimotor Stage6 Stages of Sensorimotor Stage
1. Modification of
reflexes (0-1months)
 Strengthens and
differentiates reflexes
1. Primary Circular
Reaction (1-4 months)
 Circular pattern of
having a stimulus and
responding
 Focus is on own body
3. Secondary Circular
Reaction (4-8 months)
Focus is on the outside
world
4. Coordination of
Secondary Schema (8-
12 months)
Goal oriented behavior
Apply ability to other
things

12. 6 Stages Continued6 Stages Continued
5. Tertiary Circular Reaction
(12-18 months)
Active potential
Explore object’s potential
6. Invention of New Means
through Mental Combinations
(18-24 months)
Child moves from overt to
covert thoughts
The child can use mental
representation instead of
physical objects (Piaget, 1952;
Brainerd, 1978).

13. Preoperational StagePreoperational Stage
(2-7 years old)(2-7 years old)
• In this period, intelligence is demonstrated
through the use of symbols.
• Language use matures.
• Memory and imagination are developed.
• Thinking is done in a non-logically
nonreversible manner
• Ego centric thinking predominates

14. Pre-Operational Stage ContinuedPre-Operational Stage Continued
• Semiotic Function
– Language develops
– Uses symbols to
represent ideas
– Verbal and written
language develops
• Egocentrism
– It is all about them
– They can not
differentiate between
themselves and the
world
• Rigidity of Thought
– Centration: focus on
one aspect of an
object
• Semi-logical
Reasoning
– They get the general
idea
• Limited social
cognition

15. Preoperational Stage ContinuedPreoperational Stage Continued
• Morality of Constraint
– No bending of the
rules
• Morality of Co-
Operation
– They bend the rules a
little bit

16. Concrete Operational StageConcrete Operational Stage
(7-11 years)(7-11 years)
• Operation: internalized action part of
organized structure.
• Mentally carried out actions
• Intelligence is demonstrated through
logical and systematic manipulation of
symbols related to concrete objects.
• Egocentric thought diminishes.
• Operational thinking develops.

17. Concrete Operational Stage Cont’dConcrete Operational Stage Cont’d
• Piaget’s Water
Conservation Task
• Consist of two
beakers of different
sizes, one with water
• Demonstrates the
following:
– Reversibility-pour
water in beaker of
different size and
realize that it is still the
same amount.
– Compensation- even
though one beaker is
taller than the other,
water is higher
because the glass is
thinner
– Addition and
subtraction
– Starts out with liquid,
then mass, then space

18. Formal Operational StageFormal Operational Stage
(11-15 years old)(11-15 years old)
• Intelligence is demonstrated through the
logical use of symbols related to abstract
concepts.
• There could be a return to egocentric
thought early in the period.
• Many people do not think formally during
adulthood.
• Many people do not make it to this stage.

19. Formal Operations ContinuedFormal Operations Continued
• Children formulate
hypothesis by taking
concrete operations
and generate
hypothesis about
logical relations
• Pendulum Swing
– The process is more
important than the
solution (Piaget, 1952;
Brainerd, 1978).

20. Cognitive EquilibriumCognitive Equilibrium
• Balance between
organization and
adaptation
– Always organized can
lead to little or no
growth
– Always adapting can
lead to little or no
knowledge (Piaget,
1952; Brainerd, 1978).

21. Cognitive AdaptationCognitive Adaptation
• Allows the child to erect more and more
cognitive structures through either
– Assimilation: fit reality into current cognitive
organization
– Accommodation: adjust cognitive organization
to fit reality (Piaget, 1952; Brainerd, 1978).

22. How Piaget’s TheoryHow Piaget’s Theory
Impacts LearningImpacts Learning
• Curriculum: Educators must plan a
developmentally appropriate curriculum
that enhances their student’s logical and
conceptual growth.
• Instruction: Teachers must emphasize the
critical role that experiences, or
interactions with the surrounding
environment play in student learning
(Bybee & Sund, 1982).

23. ReferencesReferences
• Brainerd, C. (1978). Piaget’s theory of
intelligence. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice
Hall.
• Bybee, R. & Sund, R. (1982). Piaget for
educators (2nd
Ed.). Columbus, OH:
Charles Merrill.
• Piaget, J. (1952). Autobiography. In E.
Boring (ed) history of psychology in
autobiography (4). Worcester, MA: Clark
University Press.