Term
| Fundamental idea of Piaget's theory |
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Definition
| children's mental development derives from own actions on physical environment |
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Term
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Definition
| mental representations developed by acting on objects that form mental blueprints for actions; specifically, a mental representation of a bodily movement or something a person can do with an object |
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Definition
| the process by which new experiences are incorporated into existing schemes |
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Term
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Definition
| process of changing or expanding existing scheme because few new stimuli fit perfectly into an existing scheme |
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Term
"Children behave like little scientists"
which theory supports it? |
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Definition
| Piaget's- their exploratory play is like experimentation |
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Term
Operations
(reversible actions) |
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Definition
| actions whose effects can be undone and that are most conducive to mental development of children; provides understanding for understanding basic physical principles |
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Term
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Definition
| (birth-2yrs) most primitive schemes; acting on objects but not thinking about objects- thought and overt action are the same. Major task: develop classes of schemes applicable to classes of objects |
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Definition
| 2-7yrs well-developed ability to symbolize objects and events that are absents (imagination)- but does not have understanding of physical principles |
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Term
| Concrete-operational stage |
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Definition
| 7-12yrs schemes that develop allow child to think about reversible consequences of actions and form initial understanding of physical principles; still tied closely to concrete experiences, not abstract ideas |
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Term
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Definition
| adolescence-adulthood; schemes developed represent abstract principles applied to wide variety of objects and situations |
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Term
| Criticism of Piaget's theory |
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Definition
| developmental stages are rejected because they are based on age- people don't always think differently based on different ages; challenges to distinction between concrete and formal operational stages; underestimates capacity of infants and children and overestimates capacity of adolescents and adults |
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