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Comparing Freud And Piaget's Theory Of Cognitive Development

1489 Words6 Pages
Throughout history, there have been many theories proposed which explain human development. Freud was the first to explore this topic and concluded that progression through various developmental stages was the result of the successful resolution of conflicts. Next, Erikson expanded on Freud’s theory, proposing that social interaction was a major contributor to human development. Later, Watson and Skinner brought a behavioral perspective to the realm of developmental theories, focusing more on the psychosocial development of the child rather than adults. These theories provided inspiration and knowledge for future theorists’ like Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky, who have become notable theorists in the area of cognitive development. Both of their theories have influenced educational pedagogy, and the fundamental premises of these theories can be observed in classrooms around the world. Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development Piaget’s theory of cognitive development proposes stages of biological maturation as the basis for how children experience and interact with their environment and that children must progress through each stage before moving to the next. The stages in Piaget’s theory of cognitive development are the following: sensorimotor (0-2 years), pre-operational (2-7 years), concrete operational (7-11 years), and formal operational (11- adulthood). Within his theory, he uses the term “schemas” to describe the mental models for the different aspects of the
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