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Process of Cognitive Development. As a biologist, Piaget was interested in how an organism adapts to its environment (Piaget described as intelligence.) Behavior (adaptation to the environment) is controlled through mental organizations called schemes that the individual uses to represent the world and designate action. This adaptation is driven by a biological drive to obtain balance between schemes and the environment (equilibration).
Piaget hypothesized that infants are born with schemes operating at birth that he called "reflexes." In other animals, these reflexes control behavior throughout life. However, in human beings as the infant uses these reflexes to adapt to the environment, these reflexes are quickly replaced with constructed schemes.
Piaget described two processes used by the individual in its attempt to adapt: assimilation and accomodation. Both of these processes are used thoughout life as the person increasingly adapts to the environment in a more complex manner.
There are different developmental domains of children which all relate to each other:
- Physical development - Concerning the physical growth and the development of both gross(eg. walking) and fine motor(eg. finger movement) control of the body.
- Perception and sensory development - How a child functions using the senses and the ability to process the information gained.
- Communication and language development - Using visual and sound stimuli, especially in the acquisition of language, also in the exchange of thoughts and feelings.
- Cognitive development - Concerning how the individual thinks and react.
- Emotional Development - Concerning children’s increasing awareness and control of their feelings and how does he react to these feelings in a given situation.
- Social Development - Concerning the child’s identity, their relationship with others, and understanding their place within a social environment.
Recent studies on infant brain development show most of a person’s neurons are formed from ages 0-5. If a young child doesn’t receive sufficient nurturing, nutrition, parental/caregiver interaction, and stimulus during this crucial period, the child may be left with a developmental deficit that hampers his or her success in kindergarten and beyond. Worst case scenarios such as those found in the Romanian orphanges demonstrate how the lack of proper social interaction and development of attachement affect the developing child.Children must receive attention, affection,and respect from their caregivers to develop in a healthy manner.
