COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT AP PSYCHOLOGY

Transcription

1 COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT AP PSYCHOLOGY

2 WHY? Psychologists are interested in how thinking and intellectual abilities grow, change, and decline across the lifespan. They examine differences in learning, problem solving, memory, and comprehension that are affected by the biological processes of maturation and aging, as well as cultural and environmental influences.

3 CHILDHOOD While most of the brain cells an individual will ever have are present at birth, the synapses and neural networks grow considerably during childhood. The frontal lobes and association areas are starting to expand so that the process of language, memory, reasoning, problem solving, and creativity can develop. Jean Piaget (Swiss psychologist) Believed that the cognitive processes of children were dramatically different from those of adults and that a series of stages led to the acquisition of adult intellectual abilities During each stage there is a distinct change in how children approach problems and what they are capable of achieving.

4 CHILDHOOD Piaget believed that children advance cognitively through an active exploration of their world, resulting in the development and expansion of schemas. A schema is a mental framework that organizes past experiences in order to make faster or more accurate perceptions. According to Piaget, the two processes of assimilation and accommodation are involved in creating and expanding schemas in order to guide cognitive development throughout life. Assimilation is the process of trying to fit new information into existing schemas (place new information/stimuli into an existing category that we already understand) Accommodation is the process of changing schemas to incorporate this new information (create a new category for new information/stimuli)

5 PIAGET S COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT You have a handout for each of Piaget s stages that explains the key developments during that stage (you will need to know these!!!). Your task is to analyze the toys in your box to determine which of Piaget s stages they fit in to. 1. Physically describe the toy(s) What does it look like? How many pieces are there 2. How would a child play with this toy? What s the purpose? Could it be used for more than one purpose? 3. What skills are being developed with this toy? These do not need to limited to Piaget s skills. Many toys support children s growth in multiple ways.

6 OPPOSITION TO PIAGET Piaget is considered one of the greatest child psychologists of the 20 th century and his theories of cognitive development have had enormous influence in a variety of fields and education in particular. Cross-cultural studies have supported the idea that the four general stages occur in the same order for all children. However, modern research finds that the transition between stages are not as distinct as Piaget hypothesized. Improved methods for testing cognitive abilities in very young children revealed that some children achieve specific cognitive milestones much earlier than Piaget anticipated. Overall, his broad descriptions have stood the test of times, but the specific onset of various cognitive skills varies across culture.

7 LEV VYGOTSKY Sociocultural Theory Challenged Piaget s conclusion that cognitive development was a result of both biological maturation and active interaction with the environment. Emphasized the combined influences of language, culture, and interactions with others, such as parents, teachers, and older peers. Zone of Proximal Development: a gap that exists between what children are capable of learning and doing without assistance, and what they could accomplish with the extra help provided by others. Scaffolding in education teachers giving just enough assistance to the learner for them to understand. Children need to be given opportunities to work with others who have more sophisticated thinking Emphasis on language (including self-talk ) in the development of cognitive skills As children mature, private speech becomes internalized speech that individuals rely on to learn about their world.

8 ADOLESCENCE Key development time of the frontal lobes but they do not fully mature until the mid-20s explains risky behavior of teens David Elkind s research Adolescent egocentrism: the tendency of teenagers to view of the world only from their own perspective Imaginary audience: the belief that other people are watching you every move and talking about you more than is actually happening Causes stress as adolescents cope with what they imagine others are thinking and saying about them. Personal fable: a sense that you are completely unique and invincible Leads to dangerous behavior because adolescents believe that harmful consequences will not happen to them, only to someone else.

9 ADULTHOOD Early Adulthood Cognitive abilities (vocabulary expansion, planning, reasoning, and memory) are improved and applied to achieving long-term goals. These remain high through middle adulthood. Late Adulthood Slight decline in the speed of processing and capacity of memory storage. Decrease in problem solving that involves working memory Have a more difficult time on tests requiring the recall of episodic memories for specific events, rather than those related to factual knowledge. However, the overall decline in cognitive ability is moderate and does not apply to all individuals.

10 ADULTHOOD Changes in specific intellectual abilities Crystallized intelligence (acquired knowledge of vocabulary, verbal skills, cultural knowledge, and factual information) remains the same or increases throughout adulthood. Fluid intelligence (the rapid processing of information and memory span needed to solve new problems) decreases in late adulthood. The best evidence for reducing age-related cognitive decline suggests maintaining a regular fitness program and participating in intellectually demanding activities such as reading, working, educational classes, and solving crossword puzzles.