31. Describe Piaget's theory of intellectual development with special regard to the following: assimilation and accommodation, object concept in the sensorimotor stage, the symbolic function in the pre-operational stage, conservation in the concrete operational stage, and the use of the hypothetical-deductive method in the formal operational stage. |
Jean Piaget believed that we cognitively develop in 5 stages: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational. Assimilation is interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas. Accommodation is the process of adapting our current schemas to incorporate new information. For example, a toddler might have a schema that says anything with 4 wheels is a car, and when he or she sees a cart or an ATV, they will think it is a car. This demonstrates assimilation. The toddler, however, will soon learn that an ATV or a cart is not a car, and the child will be forced to refine and narrow the requirements that something must have to be a car. This demonstrates accommodation.
With regards to symbolic functioning, children at this stage can picture and conceptualize objects that aren't present. They can play pretend games with friends and are now able to draw objects. The child begins to understand conservation and learns how to think logically about concrete events. They discover that changing shape or order does not change quantity. They learn to perform arithmetic functions such as subtraction and addition and can undo these actions. The hypothetical-deductive method is effectively the scientific method: forming hypotheses, testing your hypotheses, and drawing conclusions from your data. Examples- |