Early Childhood According
to Jean Piaget
By: Lindsey Schultz
The principle goal of education is
to create men who are capable of
doing new things, not simply of
repeating what other generations
have done -- men who are
creative, inventive and
discoverers.
~Jean Piaget
A Little about Piaget…
• Jean Piaget
– Born in Switzerland in 1896
– Studied natural sciences at University of
Neuchâtel then University of Zurich
– Moved to France; Worked at a boy’s
institution
• Standardized intelligence tests
• Observing and studying children was his passion
– 1923 married and had three children
– Died in Geneva in 1980
Piaget’s Developmental Stages
Developmental stages in which children
develop and progress:
• Sensori-motor
(Birth-2 yrs) ***
• Pre-operational
(2-7 years) ***
• Concrete operational
(7-11 years)
• Formal operational
(11 years and up)
Piaget’s First Two Developmental Stages…
A Closer Look
• Sensori-motor
(Birth-2 yrs)
– Child learns about self and
environment through motor and
reflex actions
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Sensation and movement
Environmental adaptation
Behavior
Object permanency
6 Subcategories of
Sensorimotor Stage
• Substage 1 (0 - 1 1/2 months)
– Reflex Schemas
• Substage 2 (1 1/2 - 4 months)
– Primary Circular Reactions
• Substage 3 (4 - 8 months)
– Secondary Circular Reactions
• Substage 4 (8 - 12 months)
– Coordinated Secondary Circular Reactions
• Substage 5 (12 - 18 months)
– Tertiary Circular Reactions
• Substage 6 (18 - 24 months)
– Beginnings of Symbolic Representation
Substage 1: Reflex Schemas
• Substage 1 (0 - 1 1/2 months)
Reflex Schemas
– Involuntary response to stimuli
• EX: Sucking, yawning, blinking
Substage 2: Primary Circular
Reactions
• Substage 2 (1 1/2 - 4 months)
Primary Circular Reactions
– Attempts to repeat pleasurable actions
• Ex: Hand in mouth, toy in mouth
Substage 3: Secondary
Circular Reactions
• Substage 3 (4 - 8 months)
Secondary Circular Reactions
– Attempts to repeat pleasurable actions more
environmentally based
• Ex: Pick up cup, Hit/swing at toy
Substage 3: Secondary Circular
Reactions Continued…
– 7 Months—Object permanency
• Knowledge that an object exists even when not in
view.
• EXAMPLE:
– http://tinyurl.com/4883qf4
– Baby Ella knows where the object is even though it is not
in plain sight.
Substage 4: Coordinated
Secondary Circular Reactions
• Substage 4 (8 - 12 months)
Coordinated Secondary Circular Reactions
– Can put secondary reactions together to form
and solve new problems
• Ex: Cover/uncover, lift/put down
Substage 5: Tertiary
Circular Reactions
• Substage 5 (12 - 18 months)
Tertiary Circular Reactions
– Will deliberately change/alter an action to
discover consequences
• Ex: Drop ball from different heights, talk at
different levels
Substage 6: Beginnings of
Symbolic Representation
• Substage 6 (18 - 24 months)
Beginnings of Symbolic Representation
– Can solve problems using representation
• Ex: Talk through problems, imagination
Preoperational Stage…
• Pre-operational
(2-7 years)
– Children use language and symbols more
frequently
• Fantasy increased
• No conceptualization of time
• Egocentric tendencies/Single point of view
Preoperational Substages
• Substage 1 (2years-4years)
Symbolic Function
– Can mentally describe object not present
through the use of symbols
• Ex: Scribbles, models (cars, people, houses)
Preoperational Substages
Continued…
• Substage 2 (4years-7years)
Intuitive Thought
– Primitive reasoning skills. Want to know the
answers to MANY questions (what, why, who,)
Things to Remember…
• Children go through these stages at
DIFFERENT paces and times
– Some are faster and some are slower
• This is only a THEORY of development
– Not a specific guideline
• ALWAYS remember to trust your
parental instincts!
– YOU know what is best for your child
References
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http://www.funderstanding.com/content/piaget
http://www.piaget.org/aboutPiaget.html
http://muskingum.edu/~psych/psycweb/history/piaget.htm
http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guid
ebk/teachtip/piaget.htm
• http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/cogsys/piaget.html
• http://www.mathcs.duq.edu/~packer/Courses/Psy225/Object.html
• http://www.odessa.edu/dept/psyc/wells/2308/fall/pe.htm