Piaget’s Four Cognitive Phases, Research Paper Example

Sensorimotor (birth to almost 2 years)

During the sensorimotor stage, infants are still building object permanence and the development of rhythm and of sensory perception and cognitive ability. The first toy, Fisher Price’s Ocean Wonders Deep Blue Sea Crawl Along Drum Roll, utilizes color, movement, sound, and rhythm and is accessible to crawlers also. It is designed for the earlier portion of this stage. Although they will not recognize these terms until they reach the preoperational phase, the children are visually introduced to a beach theme and certain creatures. Without this recognition and understanding, infants still recognize very rudimentary patterns which form the foundation of analysis. Studies have often shown that infants soon learn to recognize facial expressions; these are patterns, too (Myers, 2005). The placement, structure, color, and expression of the face aid the child in the process of social learning. Piaget’s theories emphasize the sensorimotor anxiety presented by anything unfamiliar; Mr. Potato Head reinforces the image of a kindly, smiling face. It personalizes the toy.

Preoperational (about 2- 7 years)

The lego duplo lego Ville Baby Zoo allows children to visualize an environment- but not a very practical one. The zookeeper will most likely have tea with the wild animals, and the animals would be obliging enough to let her ride them or take them home. Like any number of productions, Clifford the Big Red Dog, King Kong, the Iron Giant, etc., a grand size is now often being associated with an increased potential for kindness. At this stage, the make-believe sessions are not grounded in reality and revolve around the child’s perceptions. The second toy, the WWE Elite collection action figure, illustrates the staying power of egocentrism. Gender roles are socialized with toys like these, which emphasize the “masculine” attributes and commercialize the hero figure. At this stage, vague conceptual metaphors are developed and nurtured; the common one portrayed here is the image of the muscular man as desirable, attractive, and successful.Appearances become very important.

Concrete operational (about 7 to 12 years)

Pixos Cars ® building set is a good example of the difficulties of the concrete operational stage. While it is at times still amazing exactly how much can fit in one box, children will mentally “add” these items together to realize that a pile of small Pixos can, in fact, become a car. During these same approximate years, the average person, according to Piaget, will develop a good grasp on math. These two factors of this stage (conversion and mathematical analysis) only serve to create cognitive bridges and advance development. This is the beginning of a logical process of determining whether or not things are the same, the importance of the order of operations or steps in a recipe, determining which soda cup actually contains more liquid, etc (Myers, 2005). During this stage, the children become adept at adding and subtracting larger quantities. Although they have progressed past the egocentrism of the preoperational phase, they still retain the desire to realize their importance in new capacities. Possessions become visual indicators of their self-identification with certain groups, as a visual analogy for what qualities they admire.

Formal operational (about 12 to adulthood)

During the formal operational stage, the child moves into the abilities and challenges of adulthood. The toys often become more complicated, expensive, and interest-specific. Even for those whose main interest is video games, they select from among a variety which preferences they wish to further. At this point, they often try on new identities in low-risk situations as part of their subconscious social strategy. Once identity is established, the importance of hobbies and possessions lessens. Theoretically, the adolescent will mentally progress to the level of an adult late in this stage (Myers, 2005). Parents may no longer need to let their children win a board game and may be further amazed at their ability to fulfill goals or utilize talents beyond those of their parents. Above is the infamous Rubik’s cube, which many adolescents in the formal operational stage could surpass me with.  The commonality of the established learning order now may cause some students to actively seek out abstract learning methods, such as the completion of puzzles.

References

Myers, D. (2005). Exploring Psychology: Sixth Edition in Modules. New York, NY: Worth Publishers.