GOVERMENT COLLEGE

WOMEN UNIVERSITY
SIALKOT

Submitted BY: Fatima Khan

Submitted To: Ma'am Amna Jabar
Subject: Cognitive Psychology
Roll No: Bs-Psy-S-079
Semester: 3rd Semester
Assignment: 02
DOS: 11.05.2023

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 COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

CONTENT:

 INTRODUCTION
 PAIGET’S VIEW POINT ON HIS THEORY
 STRATEGIES THAT ARE APPROPRIATE
FOR THE DEVELOPMENT
 A CASE STUDY FOR PIAGETS PROJECT
 CONCLUSION

TOPIC:

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 CASE STUDY ON PIAGET’S THEORY
ON COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

INTRODUCTION:
Swiss biologist and psychologist Jean Piaget (1896-1980) observed his children (and their
process of making sense of the world around them) and eventually developed a four-stage model
of how the mind processes new information encountered. He posited that children progress
through 4 stages and that they all do so in the same order. These four stages are:
 Sensorimotor stage (Birth to 2 years old). The infant builds an understanding of himself
or herself and reality (and how things work) through interactions with the environment. It
is able to differentiate between itself and other objects. Learning takes place via
assimilation (the organization of information and absorbing it into existing schema) and
accommodation (when an object cannot be assimilated and the schemata have to be
modified to include the object.
 Preoperational stage (ages 2 to 4). The child is not yet able to conceptualize abstractly
and needs concrete physical situations. Objects are classified in simple ways, especially
by important features.
 Concrete operations (ages 7 to 11). As physical experience accumulates, accommodation
is increased. The child begins to think abstractly and conceptualize, creating logical
structures that explain his or her physical experiences.
 Formal operations (beginning at ages 11 to 15). Cognition reaches its final form. By this
stage, the person no longer requires concrete objects to make rational judgments. He or
she is capable of deductive and hypothetical reasoning. His or her ability for abstract
thinking is very similar to an adult.
The strengths of this theory are that Piaget research was a major breakthrough in way we
understand children. His ideas have stimulated a massive amount of further research which
increased our knowledge of children development. Piaget was the first to suggest a theory of
child development which can now be analyzed and built own. However, it had weaknesses,
behaviorists do not agree that development occurs in stages and suggests that is gradual and
continuous. He also suggested that all children developed at the same pace according to age, he
did not consider individual differences also he did not consider how a child development might
depend on social factors such as family and environment.

Piaget described two processes used by the individual in its attempt to adapt: assimilation and
accommodation. Both of these processes are used throughout life as the person increasingly
adapts to the environment in a more complex manner.
Assimilation is the process of using or transforming the environment so that it can be placed in
preexisting cognitive structures. Accommodation is the process of changing cognitive structures
in order to accept something from the environment. Both processes are used simultaneously and
alternately throughout life. An example of assimilation would be when an infant uses a sucking
schema that was developed by sucking on a small bottle when attempting to suck on a larger

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bottle. An example of accommodation would be when the child needs to modify a sucking
schema developed by sucking on a pacifier to one that would be successful for sucking on a
bottle.

PIAGET’S VIEW ON HIS THEORIES:

In Piaget’s theories, he seems to cover the Nature side of the “Nature v. Nurture” argument.
Piaget has two main theories. One theory is on Adaptation, the other is about Development. In
terms of the adaptation theory, better known as his Constructivist theory, continuity seems to
take place. This theory, and its content, is not something that would stop at a certain age. It is a
continual process that everyone has until death.
Piaget’s Developmental Theory, better known as his Stage Theory, he describes how a person
develops from birth and how each level affects a person. This is an example of discontinuity. His
stages only approach up to, and end with, approximately age fifteen. This theory does not seem
to have any major factors after approximately age fifteen.
No child is the same even if they are brought up the same way. People learn that through the
Nature V. Nurture argument, but that is another story. There are major factors that can disrupt
the Stage theory or the Constructivist theory. A person could have a dysfunction or a special
need that needs to be dealt with. For example, is a little boy has a brain dysfunction that disrupts
his learning abilities, there is a high percentage of chance that he will not develop at the same
pace and rate as other children in his generation and environment.
With the Constructivist Theory, a child may not know how to deal with his or her internal
emotions and/or thoughts. If that child does not know how to deal with his or her own internal
workings, there is going to be much difficulty trying to deal with a personal accommodation. The
same thing goes with assimilation. If a child does not know how to deal with his or her external
environment, there is going to be difficulty changing them and dealing with assimilation.
Dealing with the Developmental Theory (Stage Theory), a child may have the same dysfunction
and not be able to move up the ladder of stages. There are those rare cases where a child may be
stuck at one stage, or a child may not develop everything he or she needs to move on.
The three adaptive processes for cognitive development are assimilation, accommodation, and
equilibrium. These are three agents that contribute to a child’s intellectual growth assimilation is
when a person fits his or her external information in with what he or she already knows and
accommodation is when you have to modify what you already know to make some sense out of
the external information.
Equilibrium is what keeps both assimilation and accommodation balanced. Having a well-
balanced equilibrium is having a healthy adaptation level. If Assimilation or Accommodation
overpower another, a person may develop differently.

TEACHING STRATEGY THAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE

DEVELOPMENT:
Three steps that Piaget described for teaching strategy which is appropriate for the development:

STEP.1

DESCRIBE YOUR CASE STUDY’S CURRENT COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

ACCORDING TO PIAGET:

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 Review the resources below to provide you with the research that will help you describe your
case study’s current cognitive development according to Piaget. You should only review the
resources that pertain to your case study. For example, if your case study is a young child, then
no need to read about formal operational thought development. You are welcome to use your
own resources via other text, internet, etc., as long as you provide valid citations of where you
got your answer. If you find a great site or resource, please let your instructor and your fellow
students know by emailing everyone in the class.

STEP.2

DESCRIBE A TEACHING STRATEGY THAT WILL SUPPORT YOUR CASE

STUDY’S CURRENT COGNITIVE DEVELOPMET
To get you started in defending your teaching strategy, consider the following questions as a
guide for your thinking, but you don’t have to address all of them. Please feel free to come up
with your own approaches to help defend your teaching strategy.
Review the resources below to provide you with the research that will help you describe and
defend a teaching strategy that will support your case study’s current cognitive development
according to Piaget. You are welcome to use your own resources via other text, internet, etc., as
long as you provide valid citations of where you got your answer.

STEP.3

PRESENT AND COMMUNICATE YOUR ANSWERS FOR STEP 1 & 2

ELECTRONICALLY
· Although a majority of you will describe and defend students’ cognitive development
according to Piaget and teaching strategy by writing a paragraph, there may be a few of you that
may want to use other alternative media, and I want to support that and give you options to be
creative. You may also use a combination of media to make your point. For example, you may
combine some writing, with images, podcast, YouTube Video, PowerPoint, etc., to defend your
teaching strategy. If you are in need of a video camera, the AAT office has webcams available
for your use during the semester. Just email me to let me know.
· Keep in mind that any presentation method is valid as long as it clearly communicates and
supports your answer. My only criteria for the type of media used is that the media is electronic
and can be placed or linked successfully into your case study.
1) For example, what if you could defend a Piagetian strategy by using a series of Piagetian
cognitive tests that you found on the internet that showed how students’ cognitive development
moved through different stages.
2) Or if you found a short video of Piaget himself who discusses how cognitive development
increases through disequilibrium.
· After you have completed your answer for step 1 and 2, then place it in your case study.
Place a heading above your answer – Teaching Strategies:
Cognitive Development - Piaget. Remember that you are going to combine all the sections into
one case study at the end, so please keep this section in a safe place until then. I would suggest
even sending an email to yourself with this section attached to ensure that you don’t lose your
work.

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CASE STUDY FOR PIAGETS PROJECT:
Jean Piaget has been referred as the greatest psychologist in his times. In the 18th century Piaget
carried out extensive research in the field if child psychology. His findings are still applicable in
todays society. In fact Piaget work has widely been accepted. And his ideas are used in schools
and other associations.
Many researchers are using Piaget’s work as secondary literature in different field, including
biology and psychology to carry out more results related to child psychology. In this research I
will focus on Piaget’s work to help us understanding children and cognitive development.

BACKGROUND:
Emma is a 6-year-old girl who lives with her parents and older brother. She attends first grade at
a local elementary school.
Sensorimotor Stage (0-2 years): Emma was able to reach and grasp objects by the time she was
4 months old. By 8 months, she was able to sit up on her own and manipulate toys. Emma
enjoyed playing peek-a-boo with her parents and would laugh when they covered their faces and
then revealed them.
Preoperational Stage (2-7 years): Emma is currently in the preoperational stage of cognitive
development. She is able to use symbols to represent objects and ideas, which is evidenced by
her ability to play pretend games with her dolls and toys. However, she still struggles with
logical reasoning and conservation tasks. For example, when her teacher poured the same
amount of water from a short, wide container into a tall, thin container, Emma was convinced
that the tall container held more water.
Concrete Operational Stage (7-11 years): Emma has not yet reached the concrete operational
stage of cognitive development.
Project Proposal: To better understand Emma's cognitive development, we propose conducting
a series of tasks and experiments that align with Piaget's theory of cognitive development. These
tasks will include:
Object Permanence Task: To test Emma's understanding of object permanence, we will hide a
toy under a blanket and observe whether Emma searches for the toy. We will also ask her where
she thinks the toy went.
Conservation Task: To test Emma's understanding of conservation, we will show her two
identical glasses filled with the same amount of water. We will then pour the water from one
glass into a taller, thinner glass and ask Emma whether the amount of water has changed.
Class Inclusion Task: To test Emma's ability to understand class inclusion, we will show her a
group of flowers and ask her whether there are more yellow flowers or more flowers in total.
By conducting these tasks, we hope to gain insight into Emma's cognitive development and
determine whether she is meeting the developmental milestones for her age. This project will
also provide an opportunity for Emma to engage in fun and interactive activities that promote her
cognitive growth.

CONCLUSION:
Emma is currently in the preoperational stage of cognitive development according to Piaget's
theory.
Two examples of Emma's behaviors that align with Piaget's description of the preoperational
stage include her ability to use symbols to represent objects and ideas (evidenced by her playing

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pretend games with her dolls and toys) and her struggle with logical reasoning and conservation
tasks (evidenced by her belief that the tall container held more water than the short, wide
container).
An example of a task that could be used to assess Emma's understanding of object permanence is
to hide a toy under a blanket and observe whether she searches for the toy. This task tests
whether Emma understands that objects continue to exist even when they are out of sight.
An example of a task that could be used to assess Emma's understanding of conservation is to
show her two identical glasses filled with the same amount of water. The experimenter can then
pour the water from one glass into a taller, thinner glass and ask Emma whether the amount of
water has changed. This task tests whether Emma understands that the quantity of a substance (in
this case, water) remains the same even when it changes shape or appearance.
The key differences between the preoperational stage and the concrete operational stage of
cognitive development according to Piaget's theory are that children in the concrete operational
stage can engage in logical and systematic thinking, understand the concept of conservation, and
can mentally manipulate objects. They also understand cause and effect relationships and are
able to understand the perspectives of others.
Children typically reach the concrete operational stage between the ages of 7 and 11 years old.
Some of the cognitive abilities that develop during this stage include the ability to understand
abstract concepts, engage in logical and systematic thinking, and think about multiple variables
simultaneously.
It is important to understand Piaget's theory of cognitive development when working with
children in educational or clinical settings because it provides a framework for understanding
how children learn and develop. This knowledge can inform teaching strategies, assessment
methods, and interventions that are tailored to the individual needs of the child. By
understanding Piaget's theory, educators and clinicians can support children's cognitive growth
and help them reach their full potential.