ECON 1B03 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Jean Piaget, Object Permanence, 18 Months

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Economics
• Course: ECON 1B03
• Professor: Hannah Holmes

Document Summary

Jean piaget (1896-1980) is the father of the field of cognitive development. Piaget was interested in epistemology what knowledge is and where it comes from. He was both a philosopher and a biologist. The purpose of intelligence is to adapt to the environment; it is a basic life function. The goal of intelligence is a state of cognitive equilibrium (the balance of knowledge. It aims to create a balance between what we know and what we experience and new experiences) However, everything is new to children; those poor things are therefore not in a state of cognitive equilibrium. Instead, they are in a state of cognitive disequilibrium (discomfort), that causes them to be active, motivated, and curious learners. This process of moving from cognitive disequilibrium to cognitive equilibrium is called equilibration. Kids construct their own knowledge, but only within the confines of what they already know.