Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of Piaget's theory of cognitive development. To what extent is Piaget's theory supported by psychological research?
What will be an ideal response?
Piaget opened a new way of looking at how children's minds develop. He is credited for contributing a long list of masterful concepts that have enduring power in psychological research. These include the concepts of schemas, assimilation, accommodation, cognitive stages, object permanence, egocentrism, and conservation. Piaget is also credited for the currently accepted vision of children as active, constructive thinkers who play a role in their own development. Recent research suggests that Piaget may have underestimated the abilities of infants and overestimated the abilities of adolescents and adults. For example, research by Baillargeon suggests that infants show evidence of object permanence earlier than Piaget claimed. Critics of Piaget have also cited research showing that some adolescents and adults never reach the formal operational stage of cognitive development. Piaget's theory has also been criticized for underestimating the importance of culture and education in shaping children's cognitive development.
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