Problem 4 1.5
Piaget and Vygotsky
Piaget
Constructivist approach- children actively construct knowledge themselves by acting
on novel objects and events. This causes children to gain understanding of essential
features of these objects and events
Equilibrium- harmony between the environment and internal thought processes
- New experiences that don’t fit with common beliefs causes disequilibrium, when
in a state of disequilibrium, the child accommodates this information to modify
their existing schemes
Schemes- organised patterns of thoughts/actions that are constructed to interpret
experiences (enduring knowledge base)
- Adaptation- adapting already existing schemes to environmental demands
- Assimilation- interpret new experiences through existing schemes
- Accommodation- interpret new experiences by modifying existing schemes
- Organisation- combining existing schemes into a new one so that more complex
schemes are formed
Stages of cognitive development
Invariant developmental sequence- all children progress through the stages in the
same order and no stage can be skipped
The stages are universal
o Sensory motor stage (0-2yrs)
Go from reflexive creatures with limited knowledge to reflective and planful
problem solvers
Circular reactions- repetitive movements
1. Reflex activity (0-1m)
- use of reflexes as primitive adaption, no object permanence
2. Primary circular reactions (1-4m)
- Discovery of the ability to control own bodily movements, repeating satisfying
actions centred on own body in order to satisfy basic needs.
3. Secondary circular reactions (4-8m)
- Discover satisfying actions focused on external objects by chance and repeat
them.
4. Coordination of secondary circular reactions (8-12m)
- First goal orientated planful behaviours. Start imprecise imitation that requires a
lot of repetition. A not B error- search for an object where it was found not
where it was hidden
5. Tertiary circular reactions (12-18m)
Piaget and Vygotsky
Piaget
Constructivist approach- children actively construct knowledge themselves by acting
on novel objects and events. This causes children to gain understanding of essential
features of these objects and events
Equilibrium- harmony between the environment and internal thought processes
- New experiences that don’t fit with common beliefs causes disequilibrium, when
in a state of disequilibrium, the child accommodates this information to modify
their existing schemes
Schemes- organised patterns of thoughts/actions that are constructed to interpret
experiences (enduring knowledge base)
- Adaptation- adapting already existing schemes to environmental demands
- Assimilation- interpret new experiences through existing schemes
- Accommodation- interpret new experiences by modifying existing schemes
- Organisation- combining existing schemes into a new one so that more complex
schemes are formed
Stages of cognitive development
Invariant developmental sequence- all children progress through the stages in the
same order and no stage can be skipped
The stages are universal
o Sensory motor stage (0-2yrs)
Go from reflexive creatures with limited knowledge to reflective and planful
problem solvers
Circular reactions- repetitive movements
1. Reflex activity (0-1m)
- use of reflexes as primitive adaption, no object permanence
2. Primary circular reactions (1-4m)
- Discovery of the ability to control own bodily movements, repeating satisfying
actions centred on own body in order to satisfy basic needs.
3. Secondary circular reactions (4-8m)
- Discover satisfying actions focused on external objects by chance and repeat
them.
4. Coordination of secondary circular reactions (8-12m)
- First goal orientated planful behaviours. Start imprecise imitation that requires a
lot of repetition. A not B error- search for an object where it was found not
where it was hidden
5. Tertiary circular reactions (12-18m)
