Demonstrating Preoperational Thought

1. Demonstrating Preoperational Thought Introduce the discussion of preoperational thought

2. Developing Through the Life SpanPiaget’s Stages of Cognitive DevelopmentChapter 4

3. Developing Brain At birth, most brain cells are present. After birth, the neural networks multiply resulting in increased physical and mental abilities.

4. Maturation and Infant Memory The earliest age of conscious memory is around 3½ years (Bauer, 2002). A 5-year-old has a sense of self and an increased long-term memory, thus organization of memory is different from 3-4 years. Courtesy of Carolyn Rovee-Collier Amy Pedersen

5. Cognitive Development Piaget believed that the driving force behind intellectual development is our biological development amidst experiences with the environment. Our cognitive development is shaped by the errors we make. Both photos: Courtesy of Judy DeLoache

6. Schemas Schemas are mental molds into which we pour our experiences.

7. Assimilation and Accommodation The process of assimilation involves incorporating new experiences into our current understanding (schema). The process of adjusting a schema and modifying it is called accommodation. Bill Anderson/ Photo Researchers, Inc. Jean Piaget with a subject

8. After Nadia learned that penguins can't fly, she had to modify her existing concept of birds. This best illustrates the process of: • A. conservation. • B. assimilation. • C. habituation. • D. accommodation.

9. Piaget’s Theory and Current Thinking

10. Sensorimotor Stage In the sensorimotor stage, babies take in the world by looking, hearing, touching, mouthing, and grasping. Children younger than 6 months of age do not grasp object permanence, i.e., objects that are out of sight are also out of mind. Doug Goodman

11. Sensorimotor Stage: Criticisms Children can also count. Wynn (1992, 2000) showed that children stared longer at the wrong number of objects than the right ones.

12. Preoperational Stage Piaget suggested that from 2 years old to about 6-7 years old, children are in the preoperational stage—too young to perform mental operations. Ontario Science Center

13. Egocentrism Piaget concluded that preschool children are egocentric. They cannot perceive things from another’s point of view. When asked to show her picture to mommy, 2-year-old Gabriella holds the picture facing her own eyes, believing that her mother can see it through her eyes.

14. Critical Thinking John’s two-year-old twins are constantly fighting over toys. This behavior is driving John crazy because the twins are hitting each other and pulling toys from each other. He decides to have a talk with them to explain that their behavior has to change. He tells each of them that the other one feels bad when being hit and that they should learn to share. To his dismay, the behavior continued as if he hadn’t done anything.

15. Continued from previous slide According to Jean Piaget, why might this be happening? • A. Two-year-olds are egocentric and cannot understand things from another’s point of view. • B. His children are simply misbehaving and stronger punishment is required. • C. During this age children are learning conservation and they are trying to get all the toys for themselves. • D. Sibling rivalry cannot be controlled. It is just a phase.

16. Theory of Mind Preschoolers, although still egocentric, develop the ability to understand another’s mental state when they begin forming a theory of mind. The problem on the right probes such ability in children.

17. Concrete Operational Stage In concrete operational stage, given concrete materials, 6- to 7-year-olds grasp conservation problems and mentally pour liquids back and forth into glasses of different shapes conserving their quantities.

18. Formal Operational Stage Around age 12, our reasoning ability expands from concrete thinking to abstract thinking. We can now use symbols and imagined realities to systematically reason. Piaget called this formal operational thinking.

19. Jack is learning to understand algebra. He loves to discuss philosophical issues with his friends, and is exploring various religious beliefs. Jack is in Jean Piaget’s __________ stage. • A. preoperational • B. sensorimotor • C. formal operational • D. concrete operational

20. Activity • Which one of Piaget’s Stages is this activity demonstrating.

21. Activity • 200 red jelly beans • 200 black jelly beans

22. Activity • Scoop 15 red jelly beans and put in black bean jar • Scoop 15 black jelly beans and put in red bean jar • Shake up both jars • Scoop 15 beans (any) from mainly black jar into mainly red jar • “Will the number of red jelly beans in the jar that initially contained only black jelly beans be the same as the number of black jelly beans in the jar that originally contained only red jelly beans?”

23. Your four-year-old child firmly believes in Santa and has no difficulty in accepting that he comes down the chimney with toys and goodies—despite the fact that your house has no fireplace or chimney. What would Jean Piaget say about this? • A. Your child might need some extra help in distinguishing fantasy from reality. • B. Your child is acting too young for her age. • C. Your child is perfectly normal. • D. Your child should be encouraged to reason things out.

24. Reflecting on Piaget’s Theory Piaget’s stage theory has been influential globally, validating a number of ideas regarding growth and development in many cultures and societies. However, today’s researchers believe the following: Development is a continuous process. Children express their mental abilities and operations at an earlier age. Formal logic is a smaller part of cognition.