Question

9. Piaget’s theory on the sensorimotor stages has been questioned. What new research proves him wrong or does it?

Answer 1

Jean Piaget theory of cognitive development is known within the fields of psychology as well as education. The main idea of the theory was child development occurs in unique and distinct various stages occurring at time & manner, is sequential, and help the children to think about the world with capacities and capabilities

Sensorimotor [ From Birth to 2 years] is the first of the 4 stages. Rapid growth witness from a cognitive perspective. Important building block for future cognitive growth. The infant develops understand the world with trial and error method using senses and action. The processes of assimilation and accommodation actions become progressively adapted to the world.

While most the psychologist at development field accepted the outline of the Piaget work but a lot of question been raise on the measuring and assessing.

Many researchers criticize the stage by stating that Piaget overemphasize the motor aspect through action but the researcher in the field of perception believes infant knows more than they can demonstrate through motor actions. E.g. they observed that newborn respond to Sound, respond to the human face, born with sucking capability. Hence, we can say that perceptual learning occurs before birth.

Secondly, It was difficult for other researchers to access the findings [Significant one] because it cannot have replicated. It was mainly due to the terminologies being used., For example, consider terms like 'accommodation' and 'assimilation'. Piaget offers these terms up to indicate a change that has occurred in a child, but what exactly has changed? There was no specific operational definition. Henceforth it was difficult for the researcher to build cause and effect relationship on Piaget set of variables.

Thirdly, there was no substantial supporting or evidence for the qualitative difference in cognitive scale of 2 children at the same stage or different.