Piaget’s theory of cognitive development

Piaget’s concept of schemas is foundational to what later became known as schema theory in psychology, but there are important distinctions in how the term is used in different theoretical contexts (Piaget, 1952; Bartlett, 1932; Rumelhart & Norman, 1980).

Piaget’s Schemas

For Piaget, a schema is a mental structure or framework that helps individuals organize and interpret information (Piaget, 1952). Schemas are built and modified through experience, allowing children to assimilate new information into existing knowledge or accommodate their schemas to fit new experiences (Piaget, 1952). For example, a child might develop a schema for “dog” based on their experiences with dogs, which is then adjusted as they encounter new animals.

Schema Theory

Schema theory, developed later by researchers like Bartlett (1932) and Rumelhart and Norman (1980), extends the concept to explain how knowledge is organized in memory and how it influences perception, learning, and memory. Schemas in this context are mental frameworks that represent general knowledge about people, objects, events, and situations, guiding the way information is processed and recalled (Bartlett, 1932; Rumelhart & Norman, 1980).

DNA-Self Theory

Within our own Theory of the DNA-Self, we further extend the concept of the schema, with the idea that the newly born human will have a significant number of pre-populated schemas, created from information held within the ancestral DNA. We also suggest that many of these schemas may be animated, in order to regulate organismic functions, such as breathing, and that there is a Human Symbolic Interface, which allows this information to be accessed, and to map current in-life symbols to past-life originated reflexes and other inherited processes and information.

connections and Distinctions

Connections: Both Piaget’s schemas and schema theory emphasize the role of mental structures in organizing and interpreting information. They both suggest that knowledge is structured and that these structures guide perception and learning (Piaget, 1952; Bartlett, 1932; Rumelhart & Norman, 1980).

Distinctions: Piaget’s schemas are more developmental and focus on the cognitive structures that change as children grow. Schema theory, in contrast, is broader and applies to both children and adults, covering a wider range of cognitive processes and knowledge domains (Bartlett, 1932; Rumelhart & Norman, 1980).

Assimilation and Accommodation

Piaget’s ideas of assimilation and accommodation have been further developed and extended in contemporary cognitive science, psychology, and educational theory (Vygotsky, 1978; Bereiter & Scardamalia, 1993; Siegler, 1996).

While Piaget viewed these processes as central to cognitive development; assimilation being the incorporation of new information into existing schemas, and accommodation being the adjustment of schemas to fit new information, later theorists have expanded and refined these concepts.

Vygotsky and Social Constructivism

Lev Vygotsky, a contemporary of Piaget, emphasized the social context of learning and introduced the concept of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), which suggests that cognitive development is scaffolded by social interaction (Vygotsky, 1978). In this framework, assimilation and accommodation are not solely internal processes but are mediated by social and cultural tools, such as language and instruction.

Bereiter and Scardamalia

Bereiter and Scardamalia (1993) developed the concept of knowledge building, which extends Piaget’s ideas by emphasizing the collaborative and intentional construction of knowledge. They argue that learners actively seek to assimilate new information and accommodate their understanding through dialogue and collective problem-solving.

Siegler’s Overlapping Waves Theory

Robert Siegler (1996) proposed the overlapping waves theory, which suggests that children use multiple strategies to solve problems, and cognitive development involves the selection and refinement of these strategies. This theory builds on Piaget’s ideas by highlighting the dynamic and flexible nature of assimilation and accommodation, rather than a strict stage-like progression.

Contemporary Applications

These theoretical extensions have been applied in educational practices, cognitive psychology, and developmental research, providing a more nuanced understanding of how individuals assimilate and accommodate new information in various contexts (Bereiter & Scardamalia, 1993; Siegler, 1996; Vygotsky, 1978).

Equilibration

Piaget’s concept of equilibration, has been further developed theoretically, especially in contemporary cognitive science, developmental psychology, and dynamic systems theory (Di Paolo et al., 2014; Campbell, 2009; Piaget & Inhelder, 1969).

Post-Piagetian Extensions

Dynamic Systems and Sensorimotor Approaches: Modern interpretations have reformulated equilibration in terms of dynamical systems, emphasizing the self-organizing nature of cognitive structures. Equilibration is seen as the closure and adaptation of sensorimotor schemes in interaction with the environment, where maximal equilibration is the ideal state where cognitive organizations anticipate all obstacles and lacunae (Di Paolo et al., 2014). This approach aligns with enactive and embodied cognition theories, which stress the active role of the agent in maintaining equilibrium through continuous sensorimotor engagement (Di Paolo et al., 2014).

Hierarchical and Meta-level Equilibration: Later theorists have proposed that equilibration occurs not just within individual schemas but also across hierarchical and meta-level relationships among cognitive structures (Piaget & Inhelder, 1969; Campbell, 2009). This form of equilibration involves the integration and reorganization of subsystems, reflecting more complex cognitive and developmental processes.

Formalization and Application: The concept of equilibration has been formalized using mathematical and computational models, enabling its application in fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and educational design (Di Paolo et al., 2014). These models highlight the importance of intrinsic sensorimotor norms and the role of environmental interaction in achieving cognitive equilibrium.

Contemporary Relevance

Post-Piagetian theories have expanded the scope of equilibration, integrating it with broader cognitive, social, and technological frameworks. This has led to a deeper understanding of cognitive development and learning, emphasizing the dynamic, interactive, and adaptive nature of mental processes (Di Paolo et al., 2014; Campbell, 2009).