What Are the Characteristics of a Preschooler's Cognitive Development?

Cognitive development focuses on functions of the brain such as thinking, learning, awareness, judgment and information processing. Psychologist Jean Piaget discovered that children go through several stages of cognitive development. From the ages of 2 to 7, children are in the preoperational stage. At this point they learn to use symbols such as language to represent objects. In the preoperational stage, memory and imagination develop.

  1. Egocentrism

    • Egocentrism is a child's inability to distinguish between his own perspective and another person's perspective. Preschoolers see the world only from their own point of view. For instance, when a child talks on the phone, he may nod his head, unaware that the person on the other end of the line cannot see his gestures. To encourage cognitive development in this area, read realistic stories to preschoolers that discuss cause and effect. Discuss reasons for the outcome situations in the story.

    Animism

    • Animism is a characteristic of a preschooler's cognitive development in which the child gives lifelike qualities to inanimate objects. A preschooler cannot distinguish between what is real and what is pretend and tends to believe that everything that moves is alive. Preschoolers tend to give feelings and thoughts to inanimate objects such as dolls and leaves that blow in the wind. Provide opportunities for dramatic play as well as opportunities to discuss what may be real and what may be make believe.

    Centration

    • Centration is when a child comes to an illogical conclusion because he thinks about only one aspect of the situation. A characteristic of a preschooler's cognitive development is that he only focuses on the most obvious aspect of a problem, or on the part of a situation that has the most action. To help development in this area, draw attention to less obvious solutions to problems. Encourage preschoolers to make observations and then to compare their observations with others.

    Conservation

    • Preschoolers have an inability to conserve. This means that a preschool-age child has difficulty understanding that an amount remains unchanged unless we take away from the amount or add to the amount. For example, pour liquid from one container into a different shaped container, such as a cup that is tall and thin. Ask a preschooler which cup holds the most liquid. Even though the preschooler sees that the liquid amounts were equal, the child will usually choose the cup that seems to be more full. A preschooler's thinking is limited by his perceptions. Help preschoolers develop conservation skills by providing opportunities to experiment with volume, such as providing measuring cups for pouring water, sand, and beans into containers of various sizes.

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