DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY (PSY 003)

CLASS ACTIVITY

Student’s Name: ARETH A. ARANA Date: 7th

November 2019

JEAN PIAGET’S STAGES OF COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

Main Concept Age Range Description Notable Changes

 Infants and toddlers acquire  Period of
knowledge through sensory dramatic
experiences and manipulating growth and
objects learning
 Infants know the world through  Kids interact
movements and sensations and continue to
make new
discoveries
about how the
world works
 Children learn
Sensorimotor Birth – 2 y/o
how to perform
physical actions
such as
crawling and
walking, and
they learn
about
language from
the people
whom they
interact with
 At this stage, kids learn through  Emergence to
pretend play but still struggle language
with logic and taking point of  Children begin
view of other people to think
 Children at this stage tend to be symbolically
Pre-Operational 2 – 7 y/o
egocentric and struggle to see and learn how
things from the perspectives of to use words
others and pictures to
represent
objects
 During this stage, children  Kids begin to
become less egocentric and understand that
begin to think about how other their thoughts
people might think and feel are unique to
Concrete
7 – 11 y/o  Kids at this point of development them and that
Operational
tend to struggle with abstract not everyone
and hypothetical concepts else necessarily
shares their
thoughts,

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 feelings and
opinions
 Their thinking
becomes more
logical and
organized, but
still very
concrete
 They begin to
understand the
concept of
conservation
 Children begin
using inductive
reasoning
 Increase in logic and ability to  Abstract
use deductive reasoning, and thoughts
an understanding of abstract emerge
ideas  Adolescents
 People become capable of begin to think
seeing multiple potential more about
solutions to problems and think moral,
more scientifically about the philosophical,
Formal 11 y/o and
world around them ethical, social,
Operational above
and political
issues that
require
theoretical and
abstract
reasoning
 Begin to use
deductive logic

Positives of this theory:

Jean Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development very much explains how different the thinking
of children from that of the adult’s; it does not necessarily mean that children are less smart or intelligent
in comparison to adults, it’s just that the two groups think differently from each other. He opposed the
Preformationist view that suggests that children are ‘little adults,’ they’re grownups shrunk into smaller
size to fit in the womb of their mothers thus, consequently suggesting that these children are on par
with the level of thinking of adults. Modern-day scenario shows that the juice of Piaget’s theory is true
at some points.

Drawbacks of this theory:

Although Piaget had his theory proven, it (the theory) did not, however, focused on the learning
per se and its quantitative aspect, specifically the increase in number or behavior of the child.
Additionally, the theory does not apply to all children since each child is not equal in pacing or time
needed to learn something and we now have a theory on multiple intelligence which suggests that
there are various kinds of intelligences therefore, these two theories (the Cognitive Development and
Multiple Intelligence) might be parallel in terms of the very idea of learning and intelligence for all

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individuals are gifted with different talents, skills, and capabilities. To make it short, it is one’s uniqueness
that defies Jean Piaget’s theory.

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 ERIK ERIKSON’S STAGES OF PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Psychosocial Significant Concerns / Issues of Psychosocial Maladaptation &

Stage (Age)
crisis relations the individual virtues malignancies
*potential
*potential
negative
Example: Example: identity positive
I (0-1y/o) outcomes (one
Trust vs. Mistrust Infant / formation, seeking outcomes
Infant or the other)
mother comfort, etc. from each
arising from
crisis
each crisis stage
Infant may
Infant is uncertain
develop a sense
about the world in
of mistrust,
Mother and which they live, and
I (0-1y/o) suspicion, self-
Trust vs. Mistrust primary looks towards their Hope
Infant doubt,
caregivers primary caregiver
heightened
for stability and
insecurities,
consistency of care
anxiety and fear
Children will feel
inadequate in
their ability to
Children are
survive, may
focused on
become overly
Autonomy vs. developing a sense
II (2-3) dependent on
Shame and Parents of personal control Will
Toddler others, lack self-
Doubt over physical skills
esteem, and
and a sense of
feel a sense of
independence
shame and
doubt in their
abilities
Children
develop a sense
Interaction with of guilt for
other children at ‘being a
III (3-6) school, plan nuisance,’ make
Initiative vs. Guilt Family Purpose
Preschooler activities, make up them slow to
games and initiate interact with
activities with others others and may
inhibit their
creativity
Child now feels the
need to win
approval by
demonstrating
IV (7-12 or so) Child may
Industry vs. Neighbor, particular
School-age Competence develop a sense
Inferiority School competencies such
child of inferiority
as learning to read
and write, to do
sums, and to do
things on their own

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 Individuals are
confused and
Adolescents search
will not be sure
for a sense of self
about
and personal
themselves, their
identity through an
roles or their
V (12-18 or so) Identity vs. Role intense exploration
Peers Fidelity place in the
Adolescence Confusion of personal values,
society, and
beliefs, and goals;
may establish a
the individual wants
negative
to belong to a
identity and
society and fit in
feelings of
unhappiness
Individuals will
avoid intimacy,
Individuals’ conflicts fear
center on forming commitment
VI (the 20’s) Intimacy vs. Friends and
intimate Love and relationships
Young Adult Isolation Partner
relationships with which can lead
other people to isolation,
loneliness, and
depression
People experience
a need to create or
nurture things that People become
will outlast them, stagnant and
give back to society feel
VII (late 20’s to
Generativity vs. through raising their unproductive,
50’s) Society Care
Stagnation children, be disconnected
Middle Adult
productive at work and uninvolved
and become with their
involved in community
community activities
and organizations
Individual might
feel guilty and
Individuals
dissatisfied with
VIII (50’s and contemplate their
Ego Integrity vs. life and develop
beyond) Mankind accomplishments Wisdom
Despair despair, often
Old Adult and reflect on their
leading to
lives
depression and
hopelessness

Positives of this theory:

Erik Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development provided a framework and an overview of
the human social and emotional development that we now use as basis for determining probable root
causes or factors that influenced personality and behavior of an individual as in this theory, Erikson
suggested that early childhood experiences definitely impact one’s view of the world and one’s
behavior at a later stage of that individual.

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Drawbacks of this theory:
Although Erikson’s theory provided a general description of the psychological and social
development of individuals throughout their entire lifespan, it does not explain the reasons or the
dynamics of these changes and development and what kinds of experiences one must encounter to
be able to resolve and surpass the crises in all of the stages in this theory.

References

Gautam, S. (n.d.). Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development. Psychology Discussion.

http://www.psychologydiscussion.net/developmental-psychology/eriksons-stages-of-psychological-
development-psychology/13403

McLeod, S. A. (2018, May 03). Erik Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development. Simply Psychology.
https://www.simplypsychology,org/Erik-Erikson.html

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