In understanding cognitive development, it refers to the changes in children’s thinking when they grow older. There are theorists that come up with different views of how the children develop and they included Piaget, Erikson, Skinner and Vygotsky. The four theorists had different views of how the children thinking changed as they grew up and also, there are common characteristics each of the four theories share. However, in each of the four theories, there are those who have opposed their views and others who have agreed with them.

The Cognitive Theories of Development

One of the similarities of the four theories is that all of them share the assumption that people pass through different stages in a particular order. The orders are organized in such a way that the success of the children at each stage depends on the success of the previous stage. Another assumption that the four theories shared was that they all show that each stage is related to age. Also, they show that development is discontinuous. They show that development is qualitatively different at each capacity that emerges at each stage (Herzog & Herzog, 1997).

However, there are also differences in the four theories. The different related to how the theorist approached cognitive development in children. For example, according to Jean Piaget, he argued that children developed cognitive skills through four main stages which are sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operation and formal operational. He argued that sensorimotor stage was the first stage of development that occurred when the children were 1 to 2 years of age. At this stage, the children’s main lesson was to develop object permanence. The preoperational stage happens at the age 2 to 7 years and children develop the element of egocentrism. Between the age of 7 and 11 years, children are in concrete operational stage and they learn the concept of conservation. The last stage (formal operational), children develop abstract thinking (Love & Guthrie, 2011).

Psychologist Lev Vygotsky developed a different view and he believed that the sociocultural environment in which the children were played an important role in how they developed cognitively. According to Vygotsky, the acquisition of languages marks the most important stage of cognitive development and the latter development is not based on stages. Instead, he argued that children develop their cognitive skills by interacting with adults, cultural norms and other environmental circumstances (Love & Guthrie, 2011).

Erik Erikson argued that children developed their cognitive skills through eight stages of development. The first stage (infancy) occurred when the children were 18 months old and the main goal was to learn trust as opposed to mistrust. At early childhood stage (2 to 3 years), children learned autonomy as opposed to shame and doubt. Between 3 to 5 years, this is the preschool stage and children are supposed to learn initiative verses guilt. At school stage (6 to 11 years), they learn the concept of industry as opposed to inferiority.. During adolescent stage (12 to 18) years, the children are supposed to learn identity as opposed to role confusion. During young adulthood (19 to 40 years), people are supposed to learn intimacy as opposed to isolation and in middle adulthood (40 to 65 year), people learn generativity as opposed to stagnation. The final stage was the maturity (65 years and above) and at this stage, people learn the concept of ego integrity as opposed to despair. In Eriksons approach, he argued that people develop their cognitive skills by balancing two conflicting aspects.

B.F Skinner argued that children were malleable, that people’s mental events were as a result operant conditioning. Operant condition is a term that he developed to argue that our behavior could be understood by looking at the cause of actions (Love & Guthrie, 2011).

The four theorists had different approaches to how children developed their cognitive skills in early childhood, same way Keith’s advice to Jasmine’s parent would vary using the four different approaches developed by the four theorists. Jean Piaget named this stage as preoperational and he explained that children tended to be egocentric; Keith would have advised the Jasmine’s parents that the child might be trapped in her own world where she develops her perception of what surround her. Vygotsky associated early childhood with the time the children learn languages. According to him, Jasmine could be trying to imitate the symbols and mastered the language of their parents as part of their cognitive process. Erikson referred this stage to as the time children learned how to be autonomous as opposed to shame and doubt. Jasmine would need to learn how to develop a sense of physical control such as toilet training. According to skinner, children’s cognitive development was influenced by constant modification in the environment that surrounded them. In Jasmine’s case, her behavior would be associated with how her parents treated her; behaviors rewarded by her parents would lead to her repeating them and those she is punished for, she would abandon them (Love & Guthrie, 2011).

During early childhood, this is the time children are eager to learn and the families and the society play a major in teaching children some basic lessons. They help Jasmine to learn how to respect others, a great sense of self and identify her individual abilities and learning styles. During early childhood, Jasmine will show psychosocial traits such as the tendency to interact with other peers and adults. She will show some physical activities including sketches and playing with toys. Cultural values shown include their tendency to develop a life-long love with peers as part of their guiding principles in learning (Love & Guthrie, 2011).

The different theorist show different approaches to cognitive development in children. However, these theories share one major characteristic and which is; the success of each development stage depends on whether the child successfully passed the previous stage (Haidt, 2008).

References

Haidt, J. (2008). Morality. A Journal of Association for Psychological Science, 3(1), 65-72

Herzog, M., & Herzog, S. (1997). Study of the Child: Theories of Development. Learning Seed:

Alexander Street Press Education in Video from AUO Library

Love, P.G., & Guthrie, V.L. (2011). Understanding and applying cognitive development theory:

New directions for student services, number 88. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons