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Related Concept Videos

Piaget's Stage 2 of Cognitive Development01:14

Piaget's Stage 2 of Cognitive Development

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The preoperational stage, the second of Jean Piaget's four stages of cognitive development, spans approximately ages 2 to 7 and is characterized by the emergence of symbolic thinking. During this stage, children use language, images, and symbols to represent objects and concepts, enabling them to engage in imaginative and pretend play. This symbolic thinking supports children's ability to perform make-believe actions, such as imagining a broom as a horse or their hand as a phone, blending...
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Revisionist Views of Adolescent and Adult Cognition01:24

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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...
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Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development emphasizes the role of thinking in a child's learning process, suggesting that children are naturally curious about their environment. His approach to development is discontinuous, proposing that cognitive abilities progress through distinct stages, each with unique characteristics. Central to Piaget's theory is schemata—mental structures that allow individuals to understand and interpret the world.
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Piaget's Stage 3 of Cognitive Development01:17

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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.
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The nativist approach to infant cognitive development proposes that infants are born with inherent knowledge structures that allow them to interpret the world almost immediately. This perspective contrasts with earlier developmental theories, such as those proposed by Jean Piaget, which emphasized a more gradual acquisition of cognitive abilities through interaction with the environment. One key concept in this approach is object permanence — the understanding that objects continue to...
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Piaget's Stage 1 of Cognitive Development01:14

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The sensorimotor stage, the initial phase of Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, spans the first two years of a child's life. During this period, infants actively engage with their surroundings, building cognitive awareness through direct interaction with the world. This interaction is primarily based on sensory perception and motor actions, allowing infants to gradually understand basic physical properties and predict how objects interact within their environment.
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Children and wilful ignorance.

Francesca Bonalumi1, Azzurra Ruggeri1

  • 1School of Social Sciences and Technology, Department of Educational Sciences, Technical University Munich, Maarstraße 20-22, 80335, Munich, Germany; Central European University, Department of Cognitive Science, Quellenstraße 51, 1100 Vienna, Austria.

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Children sometimes avoid information, a behavior called wilful ignorance. This study explores its developmental roots and proposes a framework to understand why kids avoid knowledge, aiding tailored interventions.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Development
  • Psychology
  • Information Avoidance

Background:

  • Human cognition is characterized by a drive for knowledge.
  • Information avoidance, or wilful ignorance, is a common behavior in adults.
  • The developmental origins of wilful ignorance in children are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify developmental pathways for wilful ignorance in children.
  • To propose a framework for assessing children's motivations for information avoidance.
  • To inform interventions for younger populations regarding knowledge acquisition.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review to identify developmental pathways.
  • Development of a graded framework for assessing motivations.
  • Analysis of epistemic, emotional, and instrumental trade-offs in information avoidance.

Main Results:

  • Two distinct developmental pathways for wilful ignorance were identified.
  • A framework was proposed to assess children's motivations for avoiding information.
  • The framework considers epistemic, emotional, and instrumental factors.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding the development of wilful ignorance is crucial for cognitive science.
  • The proposed framework aids in assessing children's information avoidance motivations.
  • Findings can guide educators and health professionals in supporting children's learning.