Piaget's theory of cognitive development

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Jean Piaget (1896-1980) was one of the most influential researchers in the area of developmental psychology during the 20th century.

 

Citation: Huitt, W., & Hummel, J. (2003). Piaget's theory of cognitive development, Educational Psychology Interactive, Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University.

 

See http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/cogsys/piaget.html for more comments and references.

 

Piaget identified four stages in cognitive development:

1.Sensorimotor stage (Infancy).
2.Pre-operational stage (Toddler and Early Childhood).
3.Concrete operational stage (Elementary and Early Adolescence – grade school). Logical and systematic manipulation of symbols related to concrete objects.
4.Abstract thinking, or formal operational stage (Adolescence and Adulthood – high school and college). Logical use of symbols related to abstract concepts. Less than 35% of high school graduates in industrialized countries reach this stage.

 

Grade school instruction is based upon concrete thinking. All symbols must refer to concrete objects. We cannot use abstract concepts with grade school students, for they are incapable of understanding such ideas.

 

University thinking is based upon abstract concepts. High school is a transitional stage, where some students have abstract thinking capability.

 

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