PS102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Object Permanence, Egocentrism, Information Processing
Document Summary
Children are not adults in miniature": thinking changes qualitatively", natural-born scientists , actively explore and seek to understand their world. Schemas are modified to create equilibrium between environment and understanding. Piaget proposed that we have two mechanisms that need to reach equilibrium in order to build schemas: assimilation, accommodation. Ex. child knows what a bird is, they see a hawk and have to include that into the bird category. New experiences cause existing schemas to change. Ex. child sees a bat, has to learn they"re not birds, but mammals. Sensorimotor stage: birth to age 2, here and now rather than past and future, exploration through moving and sensing, object permanence. Preoperational stage: 2-6 years, language acquisition, egocentrism, illogical reasoning. Concrete operational stage: 6-12 years, logical reasoning, mastery of conservation problems, learn by doing . Formal operational stage: 12 years and above, abstract reasoning, idealism, improved problem solving. Understand world through sensory experiences/physical interactions with objects.
