Piaget’s stages of development describe children’s cognitive development in terms of phases as it occurs along a continuum from birth to adulthood. Each step is characterized by some distinct features but depends on the preceding one. Further, this development is fueled from within and is an innate process that refines itself as children interact more and more with their environment and become more capable (Babakr et al., 2019). The biggest lesson from this theory is that the mind is fluid and develops as it engages with its surroundings. Based on prior knowledge, this process involves a feedback loop involving action and reaction (Alahmad, 2020). For instance, children learn about the characteristics of objects from how they behave when interacting with them, which in turn changes how they think about them.
The most interesting thing about this theory and prior knowledge is the environment’s role in this process. Cognitive development involves evolution as a result of interactions with the outside world. In other words, the mind’s evolution is influenced by its environment. This is exciting because it explains why there are so many grades of characters. Piaget holds that the sequence of development is universal across all cultures, but it is a well-known fact that no individual is the same as another. This difference can be attributed to the environment because even children within the same geographical location can be exposed to very different social and cultural environments (Barreto et al., 2017). Piaget’s theory explains the similarities and some differences we see in children’s development, but the environment completes the picture. There is a strong relationship between individuals and their surroundings, and both impact each other.
References
Alahmad, M. (2020). Strengths and weaknesses of cognitive theory. Budapest International Research and Critics Institute-Journal, 3(3), 1584-1593.
Babakr, Z., Mohamedamin, P., & Kakamad, K. (2019). Piaget’s cognitive developmental theory: Critical review. Education Quarterly Reviews, 2(3), 517–524.
Barreto, F. B., de Miguel, M. S., Ibarluzea, J., Andiarena, A., & Arranz, E. (2017). Family context and cognitive development in early childhood: A longitudinal study. Intelligence, 65, 11-22.