Cognitive and self development

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Cognitive and self development

• Angela Hough
• Psychology 214 Human development

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Piaget and cognitive development

• Piaget genetic epistemology (origins of
  knowledge)
• Clinical method- observation and develop
  principles
• Piaget focussed on cognitive development but
  still an interaction between
• Physical motor development
• Cognitive language development
• Psychosocial development
• Intelligence - adaption to environment
• Children actively construct knowledge through
  acting gain understanding of features -
  constructivist
• Invariant developmental sequence - progress
  through stages in same order- build on previous
  stages

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Cognitive processes

• Schema - patterns of thought or action by which
  interpret world organise experience
  representation in mind set of ideas which go
  together.
• Organisation combine schema into more coplex
  schemes
• Adaptation adjust schema to environment 9new
  info and demands)
• Assimilation add new info into existing schema
  interpret new experiences in terms of existing
  models of world e.g.. Thinking dog is a cat
  because it is furry and has 4 legs
• Accomodation changing schema to accommodate new
  info. Ie. Realising the cat does not bark
• Equilibration balancing between the two

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Themes in development

• Nature nurture ( sociocultural context)
• Continuous versus discontinuous - divide
  development into stages
• Universal versus individual.
• Active vs passive agents
• Maturation and learning (maturation biological
  unfolding. Learning experience cause permanent
  change in thought feeling behaviour).

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Piagets stages

• Sensorimotor Stage (0 - 2 years)
• nonverbal, learn coordination, senses
• and object permanence.
• Preoperational Stage (2 - 7 years)
• Think symbolically, use language, intuitive,
  naming, egocentric
• The Concrete Operational Stage (7-11years)
• Learn conservation, use concepts of time, space,
  volume number, and use logic reversal
• The Formal Operations Stage (11years up)
• Abstract principles, democracy, metacognition,
  hypothetical possibilities, inductive deductive
  reasoning, theoretical hypothetical.
• Each stage has stage of formation and attainment

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Piagets stages
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Infant cognitive development

• Sensorimotor Stage (0 - 2 years)
• Learn about environment and own body through
  senses motor activity - learning sensory
  information and coordination of movement are
  important
• Nonverbal,
• Object permanence,
• Deferred imitation.
• Develop basic understanding of world
• Learn to recognise people objects, look for
  objects, understand cause effect
• Understand what is good or bad from our reactions
• From reflexive to reflective

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• Reflexive Stage (0-2 months)Simple reflex
  activity such as grasping, sucking.
• Primary Circular Reactions (2-4 months)Reflexive
  behaviors occur in stereotyped repetition own
  body e.g. opening and closing fingers
  repetitively.
• Secondary Circular Reactions (4-8
  months)Repetition of actions to reproduce
  consequences external objects e.g.kicking one's
  feet to move a mobile.
• Coordination of Secondary Reactions (8-12
  months)Responses become coordinated intentional
  into more complex sequences. e.g.reaches behind a
  screen to obtain a hidden object.

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• Tertiary Circular Reactions (12-18
  months)Discovery of new ways to produce the same
  consequence or obtain the same goal. Experiment
  (ie. Drumming on different things)
• Invention of New Means Through Mental Combination
  (18-24 months)Evidence of an internal/mental
  representational system (the ability to hold an
  image in their mind for a period beyond the
  immediate experience)- deferred imitation,
• beginning of internal problem solving e.g.
  mental combinations to solve simple problems,
  such as putting down a toy in order to open a
  door.

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Cognitive development related to physical motor
development

• Newborn- foetal position,
• 1 month - hold head up,
• 2 months - holds chest up,
• 4 months - sits supported,
• 7 months - sits alone,
• 9 months- stands holding furniture,
• 10 months crawls,
• 11 months- walks if led stands alone,
• 12 months walks alone.
• Development is proximodistal and cephalocaudal

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Preschool cognitive development Preoperational
Stage (2 - 7 years)

• Think symbolically- language (deferred imitation
  now moves to being able to understand that
  something can represent something else)-
  beginning of literacy - use language, naming,
• Scribbles pictures,
• Pretend play, imaginary, e.g. playing house ,
  stick is sword
• Animism
• Transductive reasoning,intuitive,
• Egocentric (see world from own perspective)e.g.
  standing in front of TV, smartie experiment,
  difficulty with pronouns, 3 mountains experiment,
  which is favourite stuffed toy, which is mothers
  favourite?
• Lack capacity to do conservation,
• Centration (focus on one aspect at time),
  irreversibility

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The mountain experiment
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Preoperational

• Preconceptual (2-4years)
• Intuitive period (5-7) - knowledge re objects and
  events is centred , I.e. can only focus on one
  aspect as a time and based on perception, what
  it looks like rather than logic i.e. Of number
  etc,
• Egocentric speech
• Can only classify using one property at time,i.e.
  difficult to understand that apples can be red or
  green

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Toddler 2- 3 years

• Learning about relationships, can sometimes
  imagine how other people feel (empathy).
• They know what they want, 'No' a favourite word.
  Temper tantrums common
• Play with other children for a short time, aren't
  yet capable of true sharing.
• They find it hard to wait or make choices. They
  can't understand reason or control their
  impulses.
• They love to copy adults,
• Their understanding of words is beyond their
  understanding of the world,
• Still think their parents can read their mind.
• Have difficulty distinguishing reality from
  fantasy. Enjoy make-believe play.
• They can usually do some scribbling,
• Will learn to climb up and down stairs, kick a
  ball and jump off a step.
• Can help to get themselves undressed
• Name lots of things beginning to talk in
  sentences

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Middle childhood

• The Concrete Operational Stage (7-11years)
• Use concepts of time, space, volume number, and
  use logic
• No longer bound by perceptual centration or
  egocentrism
• Classification Ability or organize according to
  properties, eg. colour/shape/size and
  heirachical relations, and classify more than one
  property eg. Green/blue square /triangular
  blocks apple is fruit, lion is a cat
• Reversibility Is achieved when child realises
  that certain operations can be reversed, e.g. Tom
  is my brother, I am Toms brother
• Decentration when child can focus on more than 1
  aspect of an object simultaneously. e.g. balloon
  large but light, hammer small heavy
• Conservation Ability to recognise that
  properties of objects or substances do not change
  as their form changes, e.g. Mass of clay doesnt
  change when changes shape
• Seriation arrange objects in order along
  quantitative dimensions, such as weight, length,
  size, e.g. Ordering teddy bears by height
• Transitivity recognise relations between ordered
  objects e.g. Tom is taller than sue but Sue is
  taller than Nozipho

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Conservation

• Concept that mass, weight volume remain
  unchanged when shape of object changes or pattern
  changes
• Uses concepts of decentration and reversibility
• 7 types number, length, liquid, mass, weight,
  are, volume

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Conservation

• Conservation of number
• Conservation of length - Even though a line of
  objects may be spread out and longer still
  contains same number
• Conservation of liquid (volume) recognise volume
  of liquid same in flat glass as long glass

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• Reversibility - Mass of dough does not change
  even though shape changes from sausage to ball
• Relationships can be reversed, eg. Tom brother,
  dress up, AB then B A

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lose egocentrism

• No longer egocentric, can see anothers
  perspective eg. TV, Mirror, the moutain
  experiment, empathy, develop theory of mind
• Can follow rules

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Logic puzzles

• There is a man that lives on the top floor of a
  very tall building.Everyday he gets the elevator
  down to the ground floor to leave the building to
  go to work. Upon returning from work though, he
  can only travel half way up in the lift and has
  to walk the rest of the way unless it's raining!
  WHY?
• Which is heavier a million tons of lead, or a
  million tons of feathers?

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Preoperational versus Concrete operational
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Encouraging learning

• Operative learninglearning through practice and
  repeated doing until the logic rule is learnt,
  actively engage with operation to be learnt
• Figurative learning rote learning, memorising
  processes, facts, etc.
• Connative learning only possible when child can
  hypothesis or think abstractly

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Adolescence cognitive development

• Formal operational thinking
• think abstractly hypothetically logically
  (e.g. Hypothetical -deductive reasoning problem
  solving, algebra idealism to humanitarian
  courses).
• Intelligence is demonstrated through the logical
  manipulation of symbols related to abstract
  concepts.
• critical thinking and idealistic
• Moral development - growing a conscience
• Increasing concentration and critical thinking
• Egocentrism- Early in this period there is a
  return to egocentric thought preoccupation with
  self, self-consciousness, .
• invincibility fable and
• imaginary audiences.

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Adulthood Cognitive development

• doesnt stop at formal operations - more complex,
  global adaptive, less absolute - deal with
  unpredictability of life.
• Intellectual productivity crystallized
  intelligence vs. fluid intelligence
• Formal logical systems can be acquired.
• Can handle proportions, algebraic manipulation,
  other purely abstract processes.
• E.g.If a b x then x a - b.
• If ma/ca IQ 1.00 then Ma CA.
• Prepositional logic, as-if and if-then steps.

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Problem solving

• investigate a problem in a careful and systematic
  fashion. Eg. Investigating rules for pendulum
  Can test
• A long string with a light weight A long
  string with a heavy weight a short string with
  a light weight a short string with a heavy
  weight.
• Test all and realise that a short string leads to
  a fast swing, and a long string to a slow swing,
  and that the weight of the pendulum means nothing
  at all!

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Critique of Piaget and stage theory

• Each individual is unique (stages homogenise) and
  underplays effect of culture context
• Development more complex than developmental
  stages - continuous discontinuous
• Underplays effect of environment
• His theory was based on an unrepresentative
  sample of children. Western middle class models
  (eg. Lifespan age)
• Not all people reach the formal operational stage
  or use formal operational thought consistently.
• His theory underestimates children's abilities.

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Vygotsky and mediation

• Importance of zone of proximal development and
  learning facilitated by more capable other
• Responsive interaction

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Quiz

• During preschool development the inability to
  focus on more than one aspect of an object is .
• Name the 2 stages of cognitive development
  according to Piaget in preschool dev
• A child not being able to realise he is Toms
  brother is called lack of_______
• What is the cognitive stage of dev in middle
  childhood called?
• When a child realises that a balloon may be large
  but it is also light this is called
• Being able to describe the relationships between
  people is called_____
• When a child can put things in an order of height
  this is called
• Conservation uses 2 other cognitive abilities to
  realise that amount of water doesnt change when
  change vessels

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• Jane has learned to feed herself with a spoon.
  When her mother gives her a fork, she immediately
  begins to feed herself. Jane has __________ the
  fork into her schema for utensils.
• a) Accommodated
• b) Appropriated
• c) Assimilated
• d) Initiated
• Piaget believed that children in the
  preoperational stage have difficulty taking the
  perspective of another person. This is known as
• a) Reversibility
• b) Egocentrism
• c) Metacognition
• d) Constructivism
• Jane's mother has two crackers, both of equal
  size. She breaks one of the crackers up into four
  pieces. Jane says she wants the one with the most
  and immediately chooses the four pieces, even
  though the two amounts are equal. Jane's choice
  illustrates Piaget's concept of
• a) Accommodation
• b) Egocentrism
• c) False belief
• d) Conservation

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Self development the self

• Self
• The combination of physical and psychological
  attributes that is unique to each individual.
• The Who am I?
• Personal characteristics (honesty, friendly)
  roles you play (wife, lecturer, psychologist,
  yoga teacher) religious, moral and political
  beliefs

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Definitions of self

• Present self (age 2- 3) recognise current
  representations of self - but unaware of past
  self representations or events
• Extended self (age 3 half - 5) integrate past,
  current and future self representations - self
  that endures over time.
• Social cognition awareness of thoughts, feelings
  motives for behaviour of themselves and others.
  
• Categorical self classification of self along
  dimensions such as gender age Im a big boy
  and not a baby

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Infant Development of self concept

• Some developmentalists say they have capacity to
  distinguish self from environment (I.e.
  Distressed hearing recording of another baby
  crying but not own crying)
• Use proprioception feedback - (info from muscles
  senses that locate position body in space) I.e.
  hand to mouth, mimic facial features (Meltzoff)
• Others say no sense of self (Mahler)
• 2 - 3 months repeat pleasurable acts centred
  around own bodies - aware of physical
  capabilities, delight at making things move -
  personal agency (responsible for making some
  events happen). Physical self

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Infant Self recognition self concept

• 5 months Know independent from other entities -
  begin to form self concept- recognise ones
  unique attributes
• Expose infants to visual representation of self
  (mirror or photo), e.g. Distinguish between self
  playmate
• Rouge test 9 months didnt recognise self, 15-17
  month some recognition, only 18 - 24 months
  recognise red spot. Also recognise self in
  photos. Present self
• Only at 3 1/2 do recognise self as stable entity
  over time. Extended self
• Emerging awareness of self in social
  interactions- self conscious emotions e.g.
  embarrassment and showing off, imitate and begin
  to classify self - categorical self - age gender

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Contributors to Self Recognition

• 18-24 month olds internalise sensorimotor schemes
  to form mental images (Piaget)
• Secure attachment makes self recognition stronger
  (Pipp, 1992)
• Parents contribute to expanding self concept with
  comments (youre a big girl) and evaluating
  behaviour and remembering events they did
  together (where did we go today?) therefore
  organise info into narratives that happened to
  me.
• Autobiographical narratives co-constructed with
  adult contribute to sense of extended self.
• Social experiences
• Parenting styles e.g. stressing autonomy or
  interdependence (autonomy lead to greater self
  recognition)

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Preschool children - self recognition

• 3- 5 year olds tend to describe their physical
  attributes and possessions when describing self
  e.g. I have blue eyes, I have a bike, I can kick
  a ball.
• Tend not to use psychological descriptors but
  some rudimentary understanding of them (e.g. I
  like people, I am honest)

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Middle childhood Adolescents self concept

• Self descriptions move from more physical
  behavioural external descriptions to more inner
  qualities and values, beliefs and ideologies.
• Awareness of not being the same in all situations
  with different people
• Initially can be distressing later become more
  integrated
• False self behaviours to improve image
• Become a sophisticated self theorist reflect on
  self
• Construct more intricate self portraits

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Culture and self

• Develop qualities that are valued in certain
  cultures, e.g. Individualistic (competitive ,
  independent) versus collectivist/ communal
  (interdependent cooperative)
• Identity could be related to religion and other
  groupings more then self achievements.
• Social/relational attributes versus personal
  /individualistic traits.

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Self esteem

• Ones evaluation of ones worth as a person based
  on an assessment of the qualities that make up
  the self concept - Evaluate qualities that
  perceive self as having.
• High self esteem - satisfied with type of person
  they are, recognise strengths and work on
  weaknesses
• Low self esteem- judge self in less favorable
  might and dwell on inadequacies
• Affects behavious wellbeing

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Self esteem

• Bowlbys working models theory - securely
  attached children construct a positive working
  model of themselves and others
• Secure attachment (puppet test) - rated selves
  higher teachers rated higher socially (age 4-
  5)

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Self esteem Harters multidimensional model
Overall self worth
Scholastic competencies
Physical appearance
Athletic competencies
Social acceptance
Behavioural conduct
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Self esteem (Harter)

• As adults global sense of self esteem based on
  strengths and weaknesses in multiple domains
• Children evaluate competencies separately
• Statements Some kids are good at figuring out
  answers in school
• 4- 7 year olds rate selves highly
• At 8 competency appraisals closer to others
  evaluations
• Self knowledge self esteem often dependent on
  others perceptions and reactions to a childs
  behaviour

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Self esteem continued

• Adolescence relational self worth (dependent on
  different relational contexts)
• Some rated more highly in adolescence - also
  dependent on how we evaluate ourselves and what
  we see as important, especially
  relationship-oriented domains in adolescence

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Contributors to self esteem

• Parenting styles - attachment working models
  supportive warm parenting correlated to higher
  self esteem.
• Peer influences- social comparison
• Culture and ethnicity (different dyads)
• Self evaluation
• Other evaluation
• What is valued
• Competence in any of Harters components

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Cognitive theories of social cognition

• Social cognition - Piaget cognitive dev approach
  Selmans role taking analysis
• Piaget preoperational focus on salient aspects
  of events - describe friends in concrete
  observable terms- possessions and appearance
• Concrete operations comparison of self to peers
• Formal operations abstract psychological traits
  dimensional comparisons

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Selmans role taking theory

• Children gain richer understanding of self and
  others as they require ability to distinguish
  alternate perspectives. To know someone have to
  assume their perspective (understand their
  thoughts feelings motives)
• Comment on personal dilemmas eg. Holly, Shawns
  kitten and tree climbing
• Linked to Piagets cognitive development stages

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Role taking relationships

• Egocentric level - pleasant experience with other
  qualities other as friend
• 6- 8 Common activity basis for friendships-
  friend chooses do nice things for me
• 8 -10 increasing concern for needs of friend -
  friendships reciprocal relationships - trust
  kindness
• Adolescents friends loyal, exchange intimate
  feelings

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Social influences on social cognition

• Playful interactions promote development of role
  taking skills and social judgments, assume
  different roles aware of discrepancies between
  perspectives
• Disagreements can be useful
• Equal status contacts
• Social experiences and contact - learn what
  others are like