Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development

Jean Piaget (1896–1980) was a Swiss developmental psychologist who proposed one of the most influential theories of how children's thinking develops. Piaget argued that children actively construct their understanding of the world through their experiences, and that cognitive development occurs in a series of universal, invariant stages.

---

Key Concepts in Piaget's Theory

Schemas

A schema (plural: schemas or schemata) is a mental framework or building block of knowledge that helps us organise and interpret information. Schemas are formed through experience and become more complex over time.

• A baby might have a simple schema for "grasping" — everything is grasped in the same way
• As the child develops, this schema becomes more sophisticated — different objects are grasped differently

Assimilation

Assimilation is the process of incorporating new information into an existing schema.

• Example: A child has a schema for "dog" (four legs, furry, tail). When they see a new breed of dog, they assimilate it into their existing "dog" schema

Accommodation

Accommodation is the process of modifying an existing schema (or creating a new one) when new information does not fit the existing schema.