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Jean Piaget (1896–1980) is one of the most influential developmental psychologists. His theory proposes that children actively construct their understanding of the world through schemas, and that cognitive development proceeds through four universal stages. This lesson covers Piaget's key concepts, the four stages, research evidence, and critical evaluation.
Key Definition: A schema is a mental framework or "building block" of knowledge that helps an individual organise and interpret information. Schemas develop and become more complex through experience.
Piaget argued that children are born with a small number of innate schemas (reflexes such as sucking, grasping). Through interaction with the environment, these simple schemas become elaborated and new schemas are formed.
Children adapt their schemas through two complementary processes:
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