Cognitive Development and Intelligence

Overview

• Piaget’s theory of development• Intelligence: definitions• Cultural issues with intelligence tests• Howard Gardner’s 8 intelligences• Emotional Intelligence

Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development

• Piaget believed that children’s minds were very different from adults

• Child’s mind develops in a series of stages

• Schemas are built and experiences are connected to them– Assimilation– Accommodation

Sensory-motor stage (age 0~2)

• World is understood based on direct experience with senses and actions

• Development of object permanence

• How are infants studied?

Preoperational Stage (age 2~7)

• World is understood also by words and images, and thoughts are intuitive– Some symbolic understanding occurs (DeLoache

1987)

• Egocentrism and theory of mind

• Don’t understand concept of conservation

Concrete Operational Stage (age 7~11)

• Begin to grasp conservation

• Understand mathematical transformations

• Think to themselves in words to solve problems

Formal Operational Stage (age 12~)

• Reasoning encompasses abstract thinking

• Able to follow logical syllogisms and solve new problems based on rules

How good is Piaget’s theory?

• Studies around the world support basic sequence

• Stimulated a lot of interest and study in the milestones of cognition

• Criticisms of ages of acquisition of abilities

• Stages vs. Continuous Development debate

What is intelligence?

• The ability to learn from experience, solve problems, and use knowledge to adapt to new situations

OR

• Whatever the ‘intelligence’ test is measuring

A brief history of intelligence testing

• Alfred Binet commissioned by French Government in 1904 to create an objective measure of child ability in school

• Lewis Terman adapted this - became the Stanford-Binet

• Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) developed by David Wechsler (also the WISC)– Separates verbal comprehension,perceptual organization,

working memory, and processing speed

Cultural Issues with Intelligence Testing

• Racial groups differ in their average scores on intelligence tests

• High scoring people (and groups) are more likely to attain high levels of education and income

• Issues with the tests?

Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences

• Based on case studies, cross-cultural research, and differences in normal abilities

• Seem to have a neural basis

Gardner’s 8 Intelligences

1. Linguistic

2. Logical-mathematical

3. Musical

4. Body-kinesthetic

5. Spatial

6. Interpersonal

7. Intrapersonal

8. Naturalist

Emotional Intelligence