Theory of intellectual development by jean piaget
- 1. Theory of Intellectual development by Jean Piaget
- 2. Jean piaget Jean Piaget, a Swiss Biologist, working at J.J Rousseau Institute of Child Study at Geneva in Switzerland. His approach is known as “genetic epistemology”.
- 3. Piaget’s Theoretical concepts According to Piaget, the development of human intellectual abilities take place as a result of the organization and reorganization of certain pattern of behaviour called schema. Schema consist of structural unit of human mind. Schema takes place three different activities – assimilation, accommodation and equilibration. (a) Cognitive structure (b) Cognitive functioning
- 4. (a) Cognitive Structure According to Piaget, emergence of new cognitive abilities occurs as a result of the modification of the behaviour patterns that are present at the time of birth. These patterns of behaviour constitute the structural units of human mind that he called schemas.
- 5. (b) Cognitive functioning Intelligence, says Piaget, is a tool by which the individual organizes the schemas and adapts to the world. The process of adaptation or organization of schemas is identified with three different activities- 1. Assimilation 2. Accommodation 3. Equilibration
- 6. Assimilation Assimilation is a process of building mental representations by modifying one’s environment or new experiences so that it fits into his already developed cognitive structure. It takes place when a pervious experience is used to comprehend a new experience in its familiar forms. Assimilation means new experience into familiar ones by means of organizing past experience.
- 7. Accommodation Accommodation is the modification of existing sensorimotor patterns to deal with a new situation. It involves transformation of an odd schema or learning a new schema, which is more appropriate for the new situation. Accommodation means modifying oneself so as to fit it with existing characteristics of the environment.
- 8. Equilibration According to Piaget’s theory , optimal level of intellectual functioning takes place when there is a balance between assimilation and accommodation. The process of maintaining this balance is termed as equilibration.
- 9. Stages of intellectual development According to piaget, cognitive development arises as a result of the interaction between the individual and the world and passes through a series of sequential stages.
- 10. Stages of Intellectual development Sensori-motor stage ( 0- 2 year ) Pre operational stage ( 2- 7 year ) Concrete-operational stage ( 7-11 year ) Formal operational stage ( 12-15 year )
- 12. Sensori-motor stage (Birth to 2 years) In the first 2 year infant’s mental activities are completely given over to regularizing their sensations and controlling the motor activities and hence this period is known as sensory- motor period.
- 13. The major accomplishments of the period are the following: (a) Co-ordination of reflexes (b) Accomplishment of objectified causality (c) Accomplishment of object permanence (d) Accomplishment of object consistence
- 14. (a) Co-ordination of reflexes During the first 4 months the unco-ordinate reflexes, which are present at birth, are co-ordinated into simple schemas. This will provide the child with a general potential to perform certain classes of behavior.
- 15. (b) Accomplishment of objectified causality During this period, infants gradually learn that there is a relationship between their actions and the external world. They discover that they can manipulate objects and produce effects.
- 16. (c) Accomplishment of object permanence A newborn baby does not realize that objects are permanent. For infants below eight months old, what is out of sight is purely out of mind. Gradually, by the age of eight months, the infant develops the concept of object permanence, an understanding that objects continue to exist even if they are hidden from view.
- 17. Accomplishment of object consistence. At about 18 to 24 months of age, the infant eventually accomplishes the concept of objects remain the same even if they appear different because of distance, light or viewing angles.
- 18. Pre-Operational stage (2-7 year) During pre operational stage the child acquire the ability to form mental images of objects and events thus begin to think symbolically. This stage can be further subdivided into two.
- 19. Pre-Operational stage The pre-conceptual phase. (2-4 years) The intuitive phase (4-7 years)
- 20. The pre conceptual phase (2 to 4 years) This is the period of rudimentary concept formation. During the period, the child develops the ability to identify and classify objects. The other features of this sub-stage are the following; Represented thought Transductive reasoning Ego-centrism Animistic thinking
- 21. Representational thought The child develops the ability to form mental symbols to represent objects or events that are not present.
- 22. Transductive reasoning The mode of reasoning of the child at this stage is transductive in nature, that is, he reasons from the particular to the particular.
- 23. Ego-centrism The child at pre-conceptual phase cannot think beyond his own view. He tends to assume that others see the world just as he himself sees it.
- 24. Animistic thinking Pre-operational children display animistic thinking, in which attribute human feelings and motives to inanimate objects.
- 25. The intuitive phase (4 to 7 years) During this period , the cognitive behaviour of the child is still controlled by perception. His reasoning is based on intuition rather than on systematic logic. But, he is able to use concepts as stable generalization of his past and present experience. The child in their intuitive sub-stage lack understanding of relational terms and ability to serialize objects. His logic is limited with irreversibility and his thinking is marked by an inability conserve in terms of quantity as well as number.
- 26. Concrete Operational Stage (7 to 11 years) This is the stage when the capacity for logical thought first emerges. The child’s thought process is limited to real events observed or the actual objects operated by him.
- 27. The important features of this stage are: a) Inductive-deductive reasoning b) Flexibility in thinking c) Understanding of the principle of conservation d) Classification and serialization e) Reversibility of thought
- 28. Inductive deductive reasoning The child begins to think in terms of a set of interrelated principles rather than single bits of knowledge. He can now make use of inductive and deductive approaches in terms of reasoning and arriving at conclusions
- 29. Flexibility in thinking The child’s egocentrism waves and he is able to take other’s view points
- 30. Understanding of the principle of conservation The child now develops the ability to conserve both in terms of quantity and number of objects. He can now very well think that the change in appearance of an object does not alter either its quantity or its number
- 31. Classification and serialization The child now develops the ability to classify objects. He develops the understanding of relational terms and also the ability of serialization.
- 32. Reversibility of thought At this stage the child learns to carry a thought backward and forward in time. A girl who has a sister now clearly realizes that her sister also has a sister.
- 33. Formal operational stage (12 To 15 years) At this stage, the child thought process become quite systematic and reasonably well integrated.
- 34. The following are the important features of this period : a) Ability to deal with abstraction b) Hypothetico - deductive reasoning c) Systematic approach to solve problems d) Use of abstract rules e) Ability to transfer knowledge
- 35. Ability to deal with abstraction The child learns to utilize the tool of symbolism in the process of thought and learns to deal with abstraction by logical thinking.
- 36. Hypothetico-deductive reasoning The child at the formal operational stage starts a form of hypothetico –deductive reasoning. When faced with a problem, he starts with a general theory of all possible factors that might affect an outcome and deduce from it specific hypotheses (predictions) about what might happen. Then they test these hypotheses in an orderly fashion to see which one work in the real world.
- 37. Use abstract rules The individual at formal operational stage is able to use abstract rules to solve a whole class of problems
- 38. Ability to transfer Knowledge The development of formal operations enables the adolescent to transfer understanding from one situation to another situation.
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