Piaget I--Assimilation vs. accommodation

Piaget II--Stage theory of cognitive develop.

Sensorimotor

Preoperational

Concrete Operational

Formal Operations

Piaget Reconsidered

Sensation

Piaget's Theory--A Basic Distinction

Assimilation--The process whereby the environment is interpreted in terms of existing cognitive structures (schemas).

Accommodation--The process whereby the existing cognitive structure is changed to reflect the environment.

Stage 1--Sensorimotor

Lasts from birth to approx. 18-24 mos.

At this stage, infants thinking is concrete

Understands the world only through sensory and motor activities (hence the name)

Object permanence develops during this period and represents the beginning of abstract thinking

Stage 2--Preoperational

Lasts from approx. 18-24 mos. to age 7

start of this period is marked by developing the ability to think in verbal symbols or words

Child still lacks "adult reasoning" and key deficit is that child lacks what Piaget called the principle of conservation.

Understanding that an underlying physical dimension remains unchanged despite superficial shifts in its appearance

If asked to show mommy a picture, 2 - 3 year olds will turn the picture the correct way.

When children play a game where the "number" determines the winner, they are not thrown off by changes in the spacing.