Compare and contrast Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s theories of cognitive development in children. Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky largely contributed to the field of cognitive development especially during early and middle childhood. They both offered explanations to children’s learning styles and abilities. However, they differently viewed the importance of varying factors. This essay will evaluate the similarities and differences between the theories proposed by Piaget and Vygotsky in children’s cognitive development.
When it comes to imitation, children are the good imitators among other people. This is because children learn best by observing behaviour of adults and copying it. This essay will explain more on children imitations towards adult’s behaviour. First, what children had learnt from imitating or modelling the adults’ behaviour? Children love to explore and learn new stuff about the adult’s actions.
Compare and Contrast Essay Sigmund Freud and Erik Erikson are both psychoanalytic theorists who both have very similar theories and ideas as to how a child's mind develops in its young years, but also have different theories as to what these stages are. These two theorist's ideas are easy to compare and contrast given that they are so similar to one another. Sigmund Freud in his theory, believes that events and experiences in our young lives affect our later adult life and that we are born with a set path as we go through these stages at specific times in our lives. These stages go along with his theory of ID, Ego, and Superego. ID, according to Freud is something we are born with that allows a person, to please themselves through basic needs.
Piaget and Vygotsky both identified the most important source of cognition is the child itself. They both identified that children are busy, self motivated explorers, forming ideas, that they then test against the world (Berk, 2013) to form and develop communication skills for communicating with others. Piaget’s ideas have been of practical use in understanding and communicating with children, particularly in the field of education. Piaget became interested in the way children at different
Third, are Cognitive developmental theories, where the change of mental processes, skills, and abilities in human beings are the main areas of study. Most notably the child development theory of Jean Piaget which offers a universal stage process of development falls under this classification. Finally, there are Social developmental theorists, namely, John Bowlby, Albert Bandura and Lev Vygotsky, who all believed social factors, be it caregivers, parents, peers and culture play a significant part in the child’s development. This essay will focus on the work of Jean Piaget and Lev Semionovich Vygotsky, their key contributions concerning the role that social and cultural factors play in a child’s development and more specifically their cognitive development.
Human Development and Learning FHT4: 601.2.1-02 Piaget and Vygotsky – Two Approaches to Cognitive Development Jean Piaget and Lev S. Vygotsky are two of the greatest psychologists associated with the development of the human mind. Both developed theories that are still in use today, regarding how the developing minds of children are affected by their environment, and how educators can best use these theories to more effectively instruct their students. This paper will discuss both theories and how they compare. But first, we need to start with a definition. What is Cognitive Development Theory?
Attachment Theory: Developing Attachment Relationships In psychology, peoples’ mental processes and behaviors are studied in order to assist in gaining a greater knowledge of individuals, the reasons behind their actions and the human mind. One of the most integral parts of the puzzle that impacts on development is early childhood attachment. Much research and theories have been dedicated to this particular area of psychology as it is believed that our experiences as young children help shape and mold our characteristics and interpersonal relationships later on in life. John Bowlby, also known as the founder of attachment theory, created a theory based on four phases of attachment. Likewise, Mary Ainsworth has contributed her “strange situation” in order to measure the quality of attachment and developed different categories that describe various levels of attachment between child and caregiver.
It highlights the important concepts of the theory, its chief tenets and its application during the early childhood relationships. Then, the essay goes on to examine the ways in which knowledge and understanding of the theory help social workers to promote and safeguard the welfare of children. The examination mainly focuses on how the attachment theory can help social workers in assessing, intervening, examining the causes of child abuse and how children are looked after. Theory of attachment Attachment theory is the strongest theoretical influence in modern-day studies of infant-parent relationships. John Bowlby was the first exponent of the theory.
We are able to teach and understand different ways of conceptual understanding, values, learning, responses, different behaviours and skills. Although there are positives, arguments towards theorists such as Jean piaget’s work and many other theorists there are also debates on weather faults have been made in some of the theories. How we grow and transform in life psychically is not the only aspect of what is needed to be looked at, it is also trying to gain knowledge of somebody’s development however social, emotional and cognitive development play a huge role in this. Beginning with the stage of childhood development has to be key as this is where we first enter the world and begin to learn and develop knowledge. Piaget had given one of the most popular foundations of understanding a child’s development “children are little scientists, who actively construct their knowledge and understanding of the world.” (psychology.about, 2012).
Froebel believed that play makes it possible for children to ‘think flexibly, to adapt what they know and to, try out different possibilities and to reach abstract levels of functioning in a way that is appropriate.’ (Bruce, 2004, p.132). Bruner (1983, p.43) sees play as ‘preparation for the technical and social life that constitutes human culture’. Bruner’s theory gained much popularity in the 1960’s, and with it, his uneasiness of free-flow play and preference for games with rules. This lead to a popularity among followers of Bruner’s work in techniques such as guided play, play tutoring and structured play. Whilst some argue that adult intervention damages children’s play (Bruce 2004, p.135, Kalliala 2004, p.32), in practice it has been seen to be useful to children in some contexts.