Question

Question 1

Theories of Development

Discuss one specific theorist and debate their theory of development

c)_Piaget

Question 2

Prenatal Influences on Healthy Development

c)_Discuss the important assessments of the newborn child

Question 3

The Infant & Early Childhood

c)_ Discuss the social development in early childhood

Answer 1

1. Jean Piaget is a psychologist who made the first systematic study about cognitive development. Piaget’s theory explains that cognitive development in children occurs due to environmental interaction and biological maturation. According to him, genetically inherited mental structure with which children are born forms the only the base, and cognitive development progresses from one stage to another. The three basic components of Piaget’s cognitive theory are schemas or building blocks of knowledge, adaptation processes that causes the transition from one stage to another, and stages of cognitive development. Schemas are building blocks of knowledge, which are repeatable, cohesive sequence of tightly interconnected component actions with a governing central meaning. Adaptation processes include assimilation, equilibrium, and accommodation.

Stages of cognitive development are sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational. Sensorimotor stage is from birth to two years, during which the child has the ability to form a schema or mental representation of an object. Preoperational stage is from two years to seven years, during which the child has the ability to make a thing symbolic of something else or a word other than itself and comes before the stage of operational or logical thought. Concrete operational stage is the major turning point and is from seven to 11 years, which is the beginning of logical or operational thinking. Formal operational stage is age 11 and above, during which the child has the ability to logically test hypotheses and abstract concepts thought formation. Though it has many merits including influence in teaching and educational ploicies, this theory lacks a clear distinction between sensorimotor stage and preoperational stage. An overlapping of stages can be seen, which is negligible when compared to the associated priceless merits.