Key Concepts of Piagets Theory

Schemas - A schema (plan, design, scheme) describes both the mental and physical
actions involved in understanding and knowing. Schemas are categories of knowledge
that help us to interpret and understand the world.
In iaget!s view, a schema includes both a category of knowledge and the process of
obtaining that knowledge. As e"periences happen, this new information is used to
modify, add to, or change previously e"isting schemas.
#or e"ample, a child may have a schema about a type of animal, such as a dog. If the
child!s sole e"perience has been with small dogs, a child might believe that all dogs are
small, furry, and have four legs. Suppose then that the child encounters a very large dog.
$he child will take in this new information, modifying the previously e"isting schema to
include this new information.
Assimilation - $he process of taking in new information into our previously e"isting
schema!s is known as assimilation. $he process is somewhat sub%ective, because we tend
to modify e"perience or information somewhat to fit in with our pree"isting beliefs. In
the e"ample above, seeing a dog and labeling it &dog& is an e"ample of assimilating the
animal into the child!s dog schema.
Accommodation - Another part of adaptation involves changing or altering our e"isting
schemas in light of new information, a process known as accommodation.
Accommodation involves altering e"isting schemas, or ideas, as a result of new
information or new e"periences. 'ew schemas may also be developed during this
process.
Equilibration - iaget believed that all children try to strike a balance between
assimilation and accommodation, which is achieved through a mechanism iaget called
e(uilibration. As children progress through the stages of cognitive development, it is
important to maintain a balance between applying previous knowledge (assimilation) and
changing behavior to account for new knowledge (accommodation). )(uilibration helps
e"plain how children are able to move from one stage of thought into the ne"t.
Stage Age *haracteristics +evelopmental *hanges
Sensorimotor
Stage
,irth
to -
.ears
$he infant knows the world
through their movements and
sensations.
Infants learn that things continue to e"ist
even though they cannot be seen (ob%ect
permanence).
$hey are separate beings from the people
and ob%ects around them.
$hey reali/e that their actions can cause
things to happen in the world around
them.
0earning occurs through assimilation and
accommodation.
reoperational
Stage
- to 1
.ears
*hildren begin to think
symbolically and learn to use
words and pictures to represent
ob%ects. $hey also tend to be very
egocentric, and see things only
from their point of view.
*hildren at this stage tend to be
egocentric and struggle to see things from
the perspective of others.
2hile they are getting better with
language and thinking, they still tend to
think about things in very conrete terms.
*oncrete
3perational
Stage
1 to 44
.ears
+uring this stage, children begin
to thinking logically about
concrete events.
$hey begin to understand the concept of
conservation5 the the amount of li(uid in a
short, wide cup is e(ual to that in a tall,
skinny glass.
$hinking becomes more logical and
organi/ed, but still very concrete.
,egin using inductive logic, or reasoning
from specific information to a general
principle.
#ormal
3perational
Stage
4- and
6p
At this stage, the adolescent or
young adult begins to think
abstractly and reason about
hypothetical problems.
Abstract thought emerges.
$eens begin to think more about moral,
philosophical, ethical, social, and political
issues that re(uire theoretical and abstract
reasoning.
,egin to use deductive logic, or reasoning
from a general principle to specific
information.
Stage Age Characteristics of Stage
Sensorimotor 78- $he child learns by doing9 looking, touching, sucking. $he child
also has a primitive understanding of cause-and-effect
relationships. 3b%ect permanence appears around : months.
reoperational -81 $he child uses language and symbols, including letters and
numbers. )gocentrism is also evident. *onservation marks the end
of the preoperational stage and the beginning of concrete
operations.
*oncrete
3perations
18
44
$he child demonstrates conservation, reversibility, serial ordering,
and a mature understanding of cause-and-effect relationships.
$hinking at this stage is still concrete.
#ormal
3perations
4-; $he individual demonstrates abstract thinking, including logic,
deductive reasoning, comparison, and classification.