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Related Concept Videos

Piaget's Stage 3 of Cognitive Development01:17

Piaget's Stage 3 of Cognitive Development

During Piaget's concrete operational stage, from ages 7 to 11, children exhibit a marked increase in logical thinking skills, specifically in relation to tangible, real-world events. This stage is characterized by the development of several essential cognitive concepts, including conservation, reversibility, and classification, all of which support the child's evolving capacity for structured thought.
Conservation and Constancy of Quantity
A significant cognitive milestone in the concrete...
Cognitive Development During Adulthood01:30

Cognitive Development During Adulthood

Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...
Revisionist Views of Adolescent and Adult Cognition01:24

Revisionist Views of Adolescent and Adult Cognition

A revisionist approach to Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development has brought new insights that challenge and reinterpret his established ideas. Piaget proposed that the formal operational stage, emerging in adolescence, represents the culmination of cognitive maturity. During this stage, individuals are said to develop abstract thinking, engage in systematic problem-solving, and show a form of egocentrism, believing others are as preoccupied with their behavior as they are themselves.
Cognitive Development During Adolescence01:18

Cognitive Development During Adolescence

During adolescence, individuals experience significant cognitive development that enhances their understanding of others' emotions and thoughts, known as cognitive empathy. This period is marked by an increased ability to adapt to others' perspectives and a more nuanced understanding of others' mental states, a skill that is foundational for social problem-solving and conflict avoidance. The development of cognitive empathy relies heavily on the theory of mind — the recognition that people have...
Information Processing Approach01:30

Information Processing Approach

The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is also...
Three Developmental Domains01:29

Three Developmental Domains

Human development is typically examined across three main domains: physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional. These domains represent the significant areas of change and continuity throughout the lifespan, from infancy to late adulthood.
Physical Development
Physical processes, also known as maturation, encompass the biological changes that occur across an individual's life. These changes begin with genetic inheritance and continue through various stages, including growth in height and weight,...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 21, 2026

A Method for Investigating Age-related Differences in the Functional Connectivity of Cognitive Control Networks Associated with Dimensional Change Card Sort Performance
09:01

A Method for Investigating Age-related Differences in the Functional Connectivity of Cognitive Control Networks Associated with Dimensional Change Card Sort Performance

Published on: May 7, 2014

Developing Cognitive Control: Three Key Transitions.

Yuko Munakata1, Hannah R Snyder, Christopher H Chatham

  • 1University of Colorado Boulder.

Current Directions in Psychological Science
|June 20, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Children gradually develop cognitive control to break free from habits, shifting from reactive to proactive and self-directed behavior. This flexibility is crucial for life success and linked to brain development.

More Related Videos

Assessment of Stress Effects on Cognitive Flexibility using an Operant Strategy Shifting Paradigm
07:26

Assessment of Stress Effects on Cognitive Flexibility using an Operant Strategy Shifting Paradigm

Published on: May 4, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 21, 2026

A Method for Investigating Age-related Differences in the Functional Connectivity of Cognitive Control Networks Associated with Dimensional Change Card Sort Performance
09:01

A Method for Investigating Age-related Differences in the Functional Connectivity of Cognitive Control Networks Associated with Dimensional Change Card Sort Performance

Published on: May 7, 2014

Assessment of Stress Effects on Cognitive Flexibility using an Operant Strategy Shifting Paradigm
07:26

Assessment of Stress Effects on Cognitive Flexibility using an Operant Strategy Shifting Paradigm

Published on: May 4, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Developmental psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive science

Background:

  • Flexible behavior is essential for navigating life's challenges.
  • The development of cognitive control underlies the ability to break routine.
  • Understanding these developmental shifts is key to cognitive development research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To outline three critical developmental transitions in flexible behavior.
  • To explain the progression from habit-breaking to self-directed action.
  • To connect these behavioral changes to neural development in the prefrontal cortex.

Main Methods:

  • This study is a conceptual review and theoretical discussion.
  • It synthesizes existing research on behavioral flexibility and cognitive control development.
  • The focus is on developmental transitions in children's executive functions.

Main Results:

  • Children increasingly overcome habits by using cognitive control triggered by environmental cues.
  • Cognitive control shifts from being reactive to proactive in preparation for tasks.
  • Children become more self-directed, relying less on external signals for control.

Conclusions:

  • The development of flexible behavior involves overcoming habits, proactive control, and self-direction.
  • These transitions are supported by the maturation of goal representations in the prefrontal cortex.
  • This developmental trajectory highlights the growing sophistication of executive functions in childhood.