Module02Psych315CogDev_UploadVersion

8/12/2019 Module02Psych315CogDev_UploadVersion

1/37

Module 2

Cognitive DevelopmentBroad Theories and Approaches


2/37

Announcements & Office Hours

E-texts available via CourseSmart and other

sources on-line

Dr. Birch is away week of 23rd

Office hours: Me: Thurs Sept (19th)2:30-3:30 Room 2031

Kyle (TA): Tues (24th) 2-3:30

Will (TA) Wed (25th): Noon-2

Dr. Severson: Thurs (26th) 10:00-11:30 on her guest

lecture


3/37

Module 2: Whats covered

* Key Terms: Developmental Change

* 4 Theories of Cognitive Development

1. Piagetian Theory

2. Information Processing Theories

3. Core-Knowledge Theories4. Sociocultural Theories


4/37

Key Terms: Developmental Change

Neurogenesisproliferation of neurons through cell division

Occurs from the 3rd/4thweek to the 18thweek after

conception

Myelinationinsulation around the axonOccurs prenatally through late adolescence

Synaptogenesiseach neuron forms 1000s of connections

Occurs pre- and post-natally, with rapid development

right before and after birth

Synapse Eliminationpruning of excess synapses

Occurs prenatally through adolescence


5/37

The Brain and Experience Plasticity:The capacity of the brain to be affected by

experience.

E.g. near vs. farsightedness

E.g. cellists/violinists

(extra cortical representation of fingers)

Critical/sensitive periods(time window where input canorganize the brain, when the sensitive period ends neural

organization is typically irreversible)

E.g. Strabismuslazy eye

E.g. Signers (auditory cortex is put to a better purpose)

E.g. Ability to hear all phonemes of the worlds languages


6/37


7/37

4 Theories of Cognitive Development

1. Piagetian Theory

2. Information Processing Theories3. Core-Knowledge Theories

4. Sociocultural Theories


8/37

Piagetian Theory: Child as Scientist

He offered a constructivist

theory (the active child)--child is

motivated to learn does not need

rewards to do so.

Saw children as generating

hypotheses, performingexperiments, and drawing

conclusions


9/37

Piagets stage theory

pre-operational

sensori-motor

formal operations

concrete operations

10-13yr0-2 yr 2-6 yr 7-10 yr


10/37

3 Processes

Assimilation= translate new info into a form you

already have/understand

Accommodation= When this new info doesnt fit

you need to restructure your conceptions

Equilibration= balancing assimilation and

accommodation to create stable understanding


11/37

What I saw

My concept of WolfMy concept of Dog


12/37

Sensorimotor Stage (birth - 2 years)

[No need to know specific substages]

Begin with simple reflexes and sensory-motor skills

and through assimilation/accommodation learned

(theory is weak on HOWsuch concepts were acquired)

*Over this stage infants increase their ability to hold

mental representations

Infants live largely in the present --out of sight, out ofmind


13/37

Object Permanence

Piaget claimed that until 8 mths of age infants did notunderstand object permanence--that objects continueto exist even when they are out of view

(e.g. failed to reach under cloth for toy that was justhidden) BUT


14/37

Deferred Imitation

Deferred imitation is the repetition of other

peoples behavior after a delay

Occurs around 18-24 mths

Evidence of persisting mental reps.


15/37

Preoperational Stage (ages 2 - 7)

They acquire symbolic representation--

the ability to see one thing to stand for

another (e.g. seen in their pretend playandin their language acquisition).

Scale model studies


16/37


viewed by Piaget as only being able to focuson one aspect of an event of problem--even

when multiple aspects are importantCentration:Centering attention on one dimension.


17/37


Children in this stage are viewed by Piaget

as not being capable of operations (i.e.pre-

operational)--that is, they cant performreversible mental activities

E.g. conservation concept


18/37

Conservation Concept


19/37


Egocentrism: According to Piaget, children at thisstage are also limited in their ability to take someoneelses perspective--they only see it from their own

point of view

The 3 Mountain Task


20/37

Concrete Operational Stage(ages 7-12)

understand conservation. begin to reason logically about concreteobjects but

have difficulty with some abstractconcepts and

hypotheticals.

Difficulty reasoningsystematically

(e.g. --the pendulum problem).


21/37

Formal Operations Stage(ages 12+)

begin to think abstractly and hypothetically

E.g. Increased fondness for SciFi/Fantasy

E.g. Comments like what would you do if you

could be 13 again? Do you think there is anotherplanet out there with another you on it?

now capable of systematic and scientificreasoning

Unlike the other stages Piaget believed thatsome adults never reach this stage.


22/37


23/37

Information-Processing Theories

View children as

undergoing continuous

cognitive change.

Describe howcognitivechange occurs.

Mostly concerned with the

development of learning,

memory, and problem-

solving skills.


24/37

Information Processing Theories:

Child as Problem Solver Children experience difficulties solving some

problems because of lack of planning/use of strategy

3 factors that lead to a lack of planning in young children

1. Sometimes plans fail (high failure rate leads them tobelieve planning is not worth the effort)

2. Young children are overoptimistic(e.g., they think

they can remember more, get more done, andcommunicate more effectively than they can)

3. Inhibitionis difficult (e.g., frontal lobe development)


25/37

Information Processing Theories

Cognitive growth is the result of three kinds of processes workingtogether and improving with age:

1. Basic Processes(associating, encoding, recognizing,recalling, generalizing)

Sensory Memory, Working Memory, Long-term Memory

2. Use of Strategies(e.g. rehearsal, selective attention, mnemonictechniques)

3. Content Knowledge(e.g. scripts, analogical reasoning,autobiographical memory)

- greater knowledge of the world increases ability to encodeand recall info because it makes it easier to relate new materialto old. (e.g. playing first vs. 10thcard game)


26/37

Speed of Processing Increases with Age

Myelination(the covering ofneurons with myelin, a fatty

substance that insulates the

axon) helps speed processing

and increases the childs abilityto rule out distractions.

Both experienceAND brain maturation(Innate--pre-

programmed development) play a role in changes in information

processing


27/37

Core-Knowledge Theories:

Child as Theorist

Principles of core-knowledge theories:

Children have innate cognitive capabilities

Children form informal theories to help them organize related

information (nave physics, psychology, and biology) Informal theories allow for inferences, e.g. what is true about one

member of a category will most likely be true for others

E.g. boy scouts/personification

Focus on areas (such as understanding people) that have been

important throughout our evolutionary history

Often endorse a modularityapproach


28/37

Modularity and Domain Specificity

objects

numbers

people


29/37

Principles of Modularity

1. Results inDomain Specificity--a special

system dedicated to a particular domain

(people, number, objects, faces, etc.)--system answers questions specific to that

area.


30/37


2. Fast and Mandatory

3. Restriction on Information Flow- Information Encapsulation and Lack of Access to Interlevels

e.g. Hollow Mask/Face illusion

Ambulance illusion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76p64j3H1Nghttp://www.michaelbach.de/ot/fcs_hollow-face/http://www.metacafe.com/watch/20665/ambulance_illusion/http://www.metacafe.com/watch/20665/ambulance_illusion/http://www.michaelbach.de/ot/fcs_hollow-face/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76p64j3H1Ng


31/37


4. Characteristic Breakdown

e.g. Autism--Lack Nave Psychology?

e.g. Prosopagnosia -- Unable to Process Faces

* Not all skills (e.g. memory) or domains (e.g.

language) have 1 specific location/system


32/37

Sociocultural Theories of Cognitive

Development:

Child as Product of Their Cultures Cognitive development occurs in interpersonal

contact(interaction with parents, siblings, teachers,and playmates).

Children are products of their cultures Emphasize aspects of cognitive development that involves use

of cultural tools, like symbol systems, artifacts, skills, andvalues.

E.g. Vygotsky vs. Piaget: Whereas Piaget depictedchildren as trying to understand the world on theirown, Vygotsky portrayed them as social beingsintertwined with other people who were eager to helpthem learnand gain skills.


33/37

Sociocultural Theories:

How Cognitive Change Occurs Zone of proximal development: The range between what

children can do unsupported and what they can do with optimal

social support (this optimum social support is referred to as social

scaffolding)

Social scaffolding: More competent people provide temporary

frameworks that lead children to higher-order thinking.

(sometimes used interchangeably with guided participation)

Joint attention: Infants and social partners intentionally focus on

a common referent.

Intersubjectivity: Mutual understanding established during

communicationa meeting of the minds

Social referencing: Children look to social partners for guidance

about how to respond to unfamiliar events.


34/37

The Visual Cliff and Social Referencing

In ambiguous situations

If Mom looks fearful,

child wont cross.

If Mom looks happy,

child will cross.

Child uses emotional cues from social partner to

interpret new things!


35/37

Conclusion

Why so many different theories?

The cognitive theories have contradictory features--Itis not possible to create a unified grand theory (though they dont disagree on all aspects so in many ways are

complementary).

Each theory emphasizes different aspects and each hasits strengths and weaknesses

Ideally, we will incorporate insights from all fourtheories to help us understand children in differentways and in different settings.


36/37

Module 2: Whats covered

* Key Terms: Developmental Change* 4 Theories of Cognitive Development

1. Piagetian Theory2. Information Processing Theories

3. Core-Knowledge Theories

4. Sociocultural Theories


37/37

Module02Psych315CogDev_UploadVersion

Documents

Transcript of Module02Psych315CogDev_UploadVersion