Chapter 5. Physical and Cognitive Development

Introduction

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As discussed in your book’s chapter covering physical and cognitive development in childhood, according to Piaget children go through two different stages of cognitive development between the ages of 2 and 12. From ages 2 to 7, children are in the preoperational stage of development. They are then in the concrete operational stage of development between 8 and 12.

These two stages of cognitive development go together as preoperational thinking is defined by what children are missing and concrete operational thinking is defined by what children possess. Children in both stages of development have specific and unique ways in which they understand and relate to the world. In preoperational thinking, children’s perceptions are captured by their immediate appearances. They believe that what they see is real. They believe that inanimate objects are really alive and that if the appearance of a quantity of liquid changes the amount becomes different.

5.1 Activity

Piaget identified several types of perceptions that children experience during the preoperational stage of development, which you will be asked to identify in this activity.

Read each scenario and select the correct preoperational thought.

5.2 Something to Consider

Let’s consider Piaget’s classic theory of cognitive development (Piaget, 1965). Piaget clearly transformed the way we think about young children. Still, he was incorrect in some very important areas, such as infancy. He not only underestimated what infants were capable of but he has done the same with the capacities of preoperational children. In particular, Piaget overstated young children’s egocentrism, underestimated the use of animism, and misunderstood the ability to learn conservation (Dasen, 1977; 1984). Piaget definitely omitted the impact of teaching in promoting cognitive growth.

Even though Piaget’s research was conducted over half a century ago and has been disproven in some important areas, other aspects have proven the test of time and have real-world applications when it comes to children. For teachers, the theory explains why you need the same-sized cups at a kindergarten lunch table or an argument will erupt, even if you poured each drink from identical cans. The theory makes sense of why forming a baseball team with a group of 4- or 5-year-olds is an impossible idea. It tells us why young children are terrified of the dark and scary clowns at the amusement park. Piaget’s concepts also give us insight into children’s passions at different ages. They explain the power of pretending in early childhood and the lure of that favorite holiday, Halloween.

The theory accounts for why third or fourth graders become captivated with games such as soccer, and can be avid collectors of baseball cards. Now that they can understand rules and categories, concrete operational children are determined to exercise their new conceptual and classification skills. The theory explains why “real school,” the academic part, fully begins at about age 7. Children younger than this age often don’t have the intellectual tools to understand reversibility, a concept critical to understanding mathematics.

What part or parts of Piaget’s theory particularly resonate with you?