One of the key factors in psychology is learning why people behave in certain ways. Many perspectives help explain how people think and how they develop. When it comes to cognitive development, or how “growth and change in intellectual abilities influence a person's behavior,” two main theorists usually emerge: Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget and Russian developmental psychologist Lev Vygotsky ( Feldman). Although their theories differ in many ways, both recognize the key component that humans play in the formation of knowledge (Alves). To better compare the two, let's first delve into the theories themselves. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Jean Piaget was a biologist and his focus began on how biology and knowledge are related. He wanted to understand how children think and developed a four-stage theory to explain how children's cognitive abilities mature as they grow older. Each stage occurs during specific years of age, and as the child progresses through each stage, both the quality and quantity of knowledge improve and change (Feldman). Piaget believed that a child's cognitive level depended on his or her level of physical development rather than any external influences (Alves). Piaget introduced the idea of ​​“schemas,” which are concepts of the world around us. These patterns start simple and are usually related to sensorimotor functioning, such as how an object sounds or tastes. When the child is exposed to new experiences, he will incorporate the new stimulus using a process called assimilation. Assimilation occurs when a person understands the new stimulus in a way that is appropriate for their current level of cognitive development. As the child grows, new information can challenge his or her understanding of existing patterns. This change in perception is called accommodation and incorporates the new stimulus into a pre-existing schema, reorganizing the way the child thinks about their world (Feldman, Alves). Piaget believed that the development of these schemas led to more advanced cognitive abilities, signaling a change in the child's stages of cognitive growth (Feldman). The first stage of Piaget's theory is the sensorimotor stage, which occurs from birth to 2 years. During this period the child progresses through six substages, from the development of simple reflexes to the beginning of thinking. The substages are as follows: Substage one: This stage occurs within the first month of life and involves reflexes that help the baby interact with the world, such as the grounding reflex. Subphase two: This phase occurs from one to four months and involves the primary phase circular reactions that coordinate multiple movements into a single action. Sub-phase three: This phase lasts for four to eight months and during this phase, secondary circular reactions, which are intentional movements, are formed. This stage is important as the child begins to interact with the world around him. Substage Four: This stage occurs between 8 and 12 months and at this stage children begin to display goal-driven behavior. This behavior involves multiple patterns to form an action that can solve a problem. Substage Five: This stage occurs between 12 and 18 months and involves the deliberate coordination of multiple actions. During this substage, a child often tests the results of his actions, such as what will happen when an object falls. It is during this stage that Piaget believed infants displayed an understanding of object permanence. That isit means that the child knows that an object or person still exists even when he cannot see them. In reality, object permanence is achieved between 8 and 12 years. Substage Six: The last substage of the sensorimotor stage occurs between 18 months and 2 years. It is during this phase that the child begins to demonstrate symbolic thinking. The next phase of Piaget's theory is: the preoperational phase. During this stage, which occurs from ages 2 to 7, the child's cognitive abilities change radically. They begin to use more symbolic thinking, which allows the child to think about objects or people he may not be able to see at the time. A child's use of language also expands during the preoperational stage, which Piaget attributes to the increased capacity for higher-quality cognition. However, there are several limitations to a child's cognitive abilities during this stage. The first is centering, which consists of focusing on only one aspect, often superficial, of a stimulus while ignoring all other aspects. An example of centering would be two rows of pennies. Each line has the same number of cents and is spaced so that both lines are the same length. However, if you enlarge a row of pennies and make it longer than the first row, a preoperational child will now believe that the longer row contains more pennies. Another is the lack of understanding of conservation. Conservation is the awareness that the quantity of an object is not necessarily related to its physical appearance. For example, two glasses of the same size and shape contain the same amount of water. Most children will understand that the glasses contain the same amount. However, if water is poured into a taller, thinner glass, a preoperative child will believe that the new glass contains more water because it is taller than the original glass. Egocentrism is a primary characteristic of children in the preoperative stage. stage. Self-centeredness is thinking that does not take into account the thoughts, feelings, or points of view of others. This does not arise from a selfish attitude, rather the child cannot distinguish the fact that others have a different point of view from his own. The third stage in Piaget's theory is the Concrete Operational stage, which lasts from 7 to 12 years. from the pre-operational phase to the concrete operational phase takes time, as the child begins to ask “why?” and start thinking more logically. Logical thinking is the key characteristic of the Concrete Operational phase. Egocentrism begins to change in a process called decentralization, and the child can now understand conservation issues and think more systematically. As the name of this stage suggests, children are only able to think about concrete things, which only concern physical reality. It is only in the next stage that more abstract thinking begins. The final stage of Piaget's theory is the Formal Operational stage, which begins around 12 years of age and lasts through adolescence and beyond. Logical thinking expands and children are now able to think theoretically and abstractly using formal logical operations and reasoning. The use of hypothetical thinking to find solutions to problems really begins to creep in during adolescence, which can lead a child to question previously accepted rules and expectations. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay There is some merit to Piaget's theory, and overall, there are many significant factors that apply this theory to many children throughout development. However, more recent research shows that there are several holes in the.