THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA

IN ASSOCIATION WITH
KASAMA COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

NAME :
course code : Psychology
PROGRAMME : BEDP 2
ID NUMBER : BEDP
Lecturer : mr chabinga
Assignment : TWO
DUE DATE : SECOND MONDAY AFTER RECESS
Question : attached

LECTURER’S COMMENT MARKS SCORED (%)

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The cognitive approach in psychology is a comparatively modern approach to human behaviour
that centres on how human think, believing that such thought processes affect on our behaviours.
Cognitive psychology concentrates on ways individual process information, looking at how we
handles information that comes in to the individual, and how this handling leads to reactions. In
other words, they are interested in the variables that act as a go-between between stimulus and
response. Cognitive psychologists study internal processes including perception, attention,
language, memory and thinking. Piaget’s theory of cognitive development is a broad theory
about the nature and development of human intelligence.

Although it is commonly known as a developmental stage theory, it also engages with the nature
of knowledge itself and how individuals get to acquire, construct, and use the knowledge
obtained. Piaget state that cognitive development is an advancing reorganization of mental
processes as a result of biological maturation and experiences experienced in the individual
environment. Children build a perception of the world around them, then experience differences
between what they have known and what they find out in their surroundings (Bruner, 1983). 

Apart from that Piaget argues that the concept that cognitive development is at the center of
human organism and language is dependent on cognitive development. Piaget states that
operative intelligence frames how the world is understood and it changes if understanding is not
successful. He state that there are five processes children use to build their knowledge of the
world which are schemes, assimilation, accommodation, organization, equilibration. Schemas are
mental illustration that sort out knowledge (Piaget, 1982).

Bruner, (1983) states that, There are four stages of cognitive development outline by Jean
Piaget. He emphasize that the way children reason at one stage is different from the way they
reason at another stage. The first stage, is called the sensorimotor stage which extends from birth
to age about two. In this stage, infants build an understanding of the world by integrating with
experiences such as seeing and hearing with physical, motoric actions. Infants obtain knowledge
of the world from the physical actions they carry out on it. Piaget’s divide sensorimotor stage
into six-sub stages. The first stage is simple reflexes which happens first month after birth, here
infants learn rooting and sucking reflexes. The second stage called first habits and primary
circular reactions occurs during one to four months of age. Infants creates habits resulting in
repetitive action of an action. The third stage is primary circular reactions, infants try to

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reconstruct an experience that initially occurred by chance. Here infant’s own body is center of
attention and there’s no outward pull by environmental events. The fourth stage is secondary
circular reactions which occur from 4-8 months of age. Infant becomes more object-object
oriented. However, infant’s schemes are not intentional or goal-directed. The fourth stage is
coordination of secondary circular reactions which happens about 8-12 months of age. Here,
infant coordinates vision and touch which uses hands and eyes. Actions are more outwardly
directed, infants combine previously learned schemes in coordinated way and occur presence of
intentionality. The fifth stage is tertiary circular reactions, novelty & curiosity which happen
during 12-18 months of age. Infants intrigued by the many properties of objects, and it’s their
starting point for human curiosity and interest in novelty. The last stage, internalization of
schemes occurring at 18-24 months of age and Infant at this stage develops ability to use
primitive symbols. By the end of the Sensorimotor stage, objects are separate from the self and
permanent. Object permanence, the understanding that objects and events continue to exist even
when they are not seen, heard or touched is accomplished (Kassin, 2001).

The preoperational stage during a child 2-7 years. The cognitive world of the preschool child are
creative, free and fanciful. Concrete operational thought emphasizes that the child does not yet
perform internalized sets of actions that allow children to do mentally what before they had done
physically and also reversible mental actions. For example mentally adding and subtracting
numbers. At this stage, children begin to represent the world with words, images and drawings.

Preoperational stage is divided into 2 sub stages. The first is symbolic function substage when
children are 2-4 years of age. Young child gains the ability to represent mentally an object that is
not present. Although young children make great progress during this sub stage, their thought has
limitations which are egocentrism and animism. Egocentrism is an inability to distinguish
between one’s own and someone else’s perspective while animism is the belief that inanimate
objects have “lifelike” qualities and are capable of action.

The second sub-stage is called intuitive thought, children at this stage are 4-7 years of age.
Children just want to know the answers to all questions. The limitations of preoperational stage
are centration and conservation. Centration is focusing attention on one characteristic to the

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exclusion of all others. It is clearly seen that young children’s lack of conservation, the concept
that an amount stays the same regardless of how its container changes (Long, 2000).

The preoperational stage, according to Piaget's theory of cognitive development, typically occurs
between the ages of 2 and 7 years old. During this stage, children begin to develop symbolic
thinking, language, and mental representations of objects and events in the world around them.
However, they still lack the ability to think logically and systematically about these
representations.

There are several educational implications of the preoperational stage that teachers should be
aware of in order to create effective learning environments for young children. In this
assignment, we will discuss the educational implications of the preoperational stage in detail.

One of the key characteristics of the preoperational stage is that children's thinking is concrete
and limited. They have difficulty understanding abstract concepts and tend to focus on what they
can see, hear, touch, and feel. Therefore, it is important for teachers to use concrete examples
and hands-on learning experiences to help children understand new concepts. For example, if a
teacher is teaching children about the concept of addition, they may use objects such as blocks or
counters to help children visualize and understand the concept.

One of the most important implications of the preoperational stage for education is the
development of language skills. During this stage, children's vocabulary expands rapidly, and
they learn how to use language to express themselves and communicate with others. This has
significant implications for their ability to learn and engage in educational activities. For
example, teachers can use language to explain concepts, ask questions, and encourage children to
think critically about their learning. They can also use language to create a supportive and
positive learning environment, which can help children to feel motivated and engaged (Munn,
1972).

Another important implication of the preoperational stage is the development of symbolic

thinking. Children at this stage start to use symbols to represent objects and ideas, such as using
a stick as a sword or pretending that a box is a car. This type of thinking is critical for learning,
as it allows children to understand abstract concepts and develop creativity and imagination.

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Teachers can encourage symbolic thinking by providing children with opportunities for
imaginative play, storytelling, and creative expression. This can help children to develop their
problem-solving and critical thinking skills, which are essential for success in education and
beyond.

During the preoperational stage, language plays a critical role in children's cognitive
development. Children use language to represent objects and experiences, and they begin to
develop more complex vocabularies and grammatical structures. Therefore, it is important for
teachers to provide rich language experiences, such as reading aloud to children, engaging them
in conversations, and encouraging them to express their thoughts and ideas through writing.

According to Munsaka, (2011) during the preoperational stage, children's play becomes more
imaginative and creative. They use their imaginations to create scenarios and explore different
roles and perspectives. Therefore, it is important for teachers to provide opportunities for
imaginative play, such as dramatic play centers, storytelling, and creative writing activities.
These activities can help children develop their imaginations and express their thoughts and
ideas in new and creative ways.

However, the preoperational stage also has some limitations that can impact learning and
education. One of the key limitations is egocentrism, which refers to the child's inability to
understand other people's perspectives. Children at this stage tend to focus on their own point of
view and have difficulty understanding that others may have different thoughts, feelings, and
beliefs. This can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts in the classroom, as well as difficulty in
social interactions. Teachers can address egocentrism by providing opportunities for children to
interact with others, such as through group activities or classroom discussions. They can also use
stories and examples to help children understand different perspectives and encourage empathy
and understanding (Long, 2000).

In conclusion, Piaget believed that children think differently than adults and stated that they go
through four general stages of cognitive development. Development is biologically based and
changes as the child matures. Cognition therefore develops in all children in the same sequence
of stages.

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 REFERENCES

Bruner, J. S. (1983). In search of mind: Essays in autobiography. New York: Harper & Row.

Kassin, S. (2001). Psychology 3rd Edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Long, M. (2000). The Psychology of Education. New York: Routledge.

Munn, N.L., Fernald, L.D (Jr.) and Fernald, P.S. (1972). Basic Psychology. Boston: Houghton
Mifflin Company.

Munsaka, E. (2011). Mastering the Psychology of Teaching and Learning. Ndola: Mission
Press.
Piaget, J. (1982). Reflections on Baldwin [interview with J. J. Vonèche]. In J. M. Broughton
& D.

J. Freeman-Moir (Eds.), The cognitive developmental psychology of James Mark Baldwin.

Norwood, NJ: Ablex. pp. 80–86.