TOPIC 4

Human Cognitive
Development

Thinking Skill Teams

UUW322- KEMAHIRAN BERFIKIR
THINKING SKILL
1
2
Introduction
Cognitive Development is a field of study
in neuroscience and psychology
It focuses on a childs development in
terms of information processing,
conceptual resources, perceptual skill,
language learning and other aspects of
brain development.
Theory of cognitive development was first
introduced by Jean Piaget.
3
4
Early Nurturing
Beyond having their physical needs
for food, water, shelter, and hygiene
met, young children also need plenty
of emotional and cognitive support,
love and nurturing.

5
 Caregivers should show positive attitude,
smile, and stay as calm and patient as
possible during difficult situations so that
they will create a peaceful and positive
environment for their children.

However, caregivers should not neglect

appropriate discipline and guidance.

6
 Hence, nurturing is vital to childrens
development, a secret ingredient that
enables children to grow physically,
mentally, socially, emotionally,
culturally and spiritually.

7
Jean Piagets Theory of
Cognitive Development
Jean Piaget (1896-1980) was employed at
the Binets Institute in the 1920s, where
his job was to develop French versions of
questions on English intelligence tests.

8
 He became intrigued with the reasons
children gave for their wrong answers on
the questions that required logical
thinking.
He was the first psychologist to make a
systematic study of cognitive
development.

9
 The goal of the theory is to explain the
mechanisms and processes by which the
infant, and then the child, develops into an
individual who can reason and think using
hypotheses.

10
 To Piaget, cognitive development was
a progressive reorganization of
mental processes as a result of
biological maturation and
environmental experience.

11
Basic Components to Piagets
Cognitive Development Theory

Schemas (building blocks of knowledge)

Processes that enable the transition from one stage
to another (equilibrium, assimilation and
accommodation)
Stages of Development:
Sensorimotor
Preoperational
Concrete operational
Formal operation
12
Schema
Schemas are units of knowledge, each
relating to one aspect of the world,
including objects, actions and abstract
(i.e. theoretical) concepts.
When a childs existing schemas are
capable of explaining what it can perceive
around it, it is said to be in a state of
equilibrium, i.e. a state of cognitive
(mental) balance.
14
Assimilation
Piaget viewed intellectual growth as a process
of adaptation, which happens through:
Assimilation Which is using an existing
schema to deal with new object or situation.
Accommodation - This happens when the
existing schema (knowledge) does not work
and needs to be changed to deal with a new
object or situation.

15
 Equilibrium - This is the force which moves
development along.

Assimilation Equilibrium New

Situation

Disequilibrium
Accommodation

16
 Through the processes of
assimilation and accommodation,
these actions become progressively
adapted to the world

Key feature: Object permanence

Object permanence means knowing
that an object still exists, even if it is
hidden

17
Sensorimotor Stage
From birth to 2 years
A period of rapid cognitive growth
Initially equipped with a set of reflex
movements and a set of perceptual systems
Infant begins to build up direct knowledge of
world around him/her, by relating physical
actions to perceived results of those actions

18
19
Preoperational Stage
From 2 to 7 years
Children at this stage can mentally
represent events and objects, and
engage in symbolic play
At this stage, their thoughts and
communications are typically
egocentric

20
 Egocentrism refers to the childs inability
to see from another persons point of view
Children at this stage also display animism
(the belief that inanimate
objects have human feelings and
intention)

21
 Key feature: Egocentrism

22
Children live in a world of imagination
and feeling they invest the most
insignificant object with any form they
please, and see in whatever they wish
to see

( Adam,G. 1857)
Concrete Operational
Stage
From 7-11 years
This stage is a major turning point in the
childs cognitive development, because
it marks the beginning of logical and
operational thought

24
 The child is now mature enough to use
logical thought or operations (i.e rules) but
can only apply to physical objects
Children become less egocentric and
better at conservation tasks.

25
 Conservation is defined as the
understanding that something stays the
same in quantity even though its
appearance changes

Their thinking is more organized and rational

They can solve problems in a logical fashion,
but are typically not able to think abstractly or
hypothetically
Key feature: Conservation
26
27
Formal Operation
From 11 years to adulthood
As the adolescents enter this stage,
they gain the ability to think in
abstract manner, the ability to
combine and classify items in a more
sophisticated way, and the capacity
for higher-order reasoning.

29
 The child begins to manipulate ideas in
his/her head, without any dependence on
concrete manipulation
S/he can do mathematical calculations,
think creatively, use abstract reasoning,
and imagine the outcome of particular
actions.

Key feature: Manipulate ideas in head,

abstract reasoning.
30
31
Every adult is in need of help, of warmth, of
protection.. In many ways differing from and
yet in many ways similar to the needs of the
child.
(Erich Fromm, The Sane Society. 1955)
 The End

Thank you for your attention