Infant Cognitive Development

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Infant Cognitive Development
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Piagets 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

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Sensorimotor stage (newborns 2yrs)

• Stage 1-4 Reflexes, to motor habits, to circular
  reactions, to more intentional goal-directive
  behaviors

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• Object permanence (8-12mo) objects continue to
  exist, even when out of sight

Methods
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• Object permanence (8-12mo) objects continue to
  exist, even when out of sight

Methods
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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

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Evaluation of Piagets Sensorimotor Stage

• Underestimated infants abilities
• Object permanence found in 3mo olds using
  violation-of-expectation method (Baillargeon,
  1991)

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Evaluation of Piagets Sensorimotor Stage

• Underestimated infants abilities
• Object permanence found in 3mo olds using
  violation-of-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
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Vygotskys Sociocultural Theory

• Continuous quantitative
• How does cognitive change happen?
• Socially cognitive development originates in
  social interaction
• Cultural specific cognitive tasks accomplished
  varies cultures

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Vygotskys 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

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Ability to perform cognitive task
Independent performance (developmental level)
Cannot perform task
Zone of Proximal Development
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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.