Critically consider Piagets theory of cognitive development.

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Critically consider Piaget's theory of cognitive development.

This essay will look at the theory put forward by Jean Piaget (1896-1980) that cognitive development is a process that is defined by stages of thinking which change as a person grows from infancy to adulthood. It will examine his theory, commenting on its strengths and weaknesses and compare it to other cognitive development theories put forward by Jerome Bruner and Lev Vygotsky.

Cognitive development is defined as being "the development of intelligence, conscious thought, and problem-solving ability that begins in infancy" (http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com). Piaget was interested in the way that thinking develops in an individual and he developed his theory after becoming unhappy with the idea that intelligence is a fixed attribute. Instead he considered it to be a process which developed over time due to biological maturation and interaction with the environment. As the brain grows and becomes more intricate, it is able to develop more complex ways of thinking. Children are limited in their ability to benefit from experience as their brains are not adequately developed enough. The environment is also linked to cognitive development as children are fundamentally programmed to explore and test the world around them. This