Piaget's theory of cognitive development is unpacked in this essay - the stages, their key concepts, strengths and weaknesses of the theory and finally application to South African context.
Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development is a stage-specific theory, aiming to explain
the development of an individual’s life-long cognition. In this essay, Piaget’s theory will be
discussed, as well as the stages of the theory (the sensorimotor, pre-operational, concrete
operational and formal operational stages) and its key concepts. From then, the strengths and
weaknesses of the theory will be highlighted, followed by a discussion of one strength and
weakness applied to the South African context. By the end, a clear understanding of the
theory would have been generated.
Piaget’s theory explains how children cognitively develop. It is revolves around four stages.
However, they cannot be comprehended until the explanation of certain notions.
As mentioned in Sangvhi (2020, p. 2), children develop schemas - mental tools used to
understand the world. Schemas materialize when children physically interact with their
immediate environment by, tasting and touching (Sangvhi, 2020, p. 2). Piaget said that the
development of schemas is due to two processes that occur: assimilation and accommodation
(Sangvhi, 2020, p. 2).
Assimilation happens when children combine their new experiences with their existing
schemas (Swartz et al., 2016, p. 124). Accommodation happens when existing schemas are
altered to adjust to new experiences, like a compromise. If the existing schema cannot be
altered then a new schema is formed (Swartz et al., 2016, p. 124; Sangvhi, 2020, p. 2). Both
assimilation and accommodation form the process, adaptation, which does not happen
immediately, but over time as actions are repeated (Swartz et al., 2016, p. 124). The constant
adaptation process means that children are continually developing (Swartz et al., 2016, p.
124).
Often during the adaptation process, cognitive conflict is experienced. This is where Piaget’s
concept of equilibration comes in. This process explains that self-regulation must occur –
finding a fit between old and new schemas (Yasin Khoshhal, 2017, pp. 998-999).
Equilibration is constantly being shattered due to the constant learning of new information.
To achieve equilibration once more, the processes of assimilation and accommodation need
to occur again. This reinforces that a child’s cognition is constantly developing (Zhang
Zhiqing, 2015, p. 85). An example to illustrate this would be that a child loves the chicken
that their family makes regularly; developing the schema that all chicken is delicious. The
child has chicken at another house and hates it. Now in the assimilation stage of equilibration,
they think that all chicken is good so then this chicken must be good too. They repeatedly
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