Theories of Cognitive Development – Historical

Cognitive development has played a central role in the growth of the field of developmental psychology, and it may have skewed the early directions of the entire field. The European and American culture’s individual orientation and high value on success and achievement may have supported a highly skewed focus on the cognitive domain. However, the early theorists who are most associated with the cognitive movement, Piaget, Vygotsky, and Montessori, never intended for their theories to be thought of as solely cognitive in nature.

Maria Montessori was a physician whose origins in the field were primarily focused on providing educational access (appropriate pedagogy) to children with intellectual disabilities and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. The highly biological and educational emphasis of her approach led many to view the Montessori Method through a purely cognitive lens, yet the true focus was to allow the innate potential and interests of a child to maximize through interaction with his or her environment and peers.

Jean Piaget’s work has formed the foundation of the American educational approach, and his theory is credited with many facets that are central in our examination of cognitive development. Stage wise, development that harkens to the core conflict of continuity versus discontinuity, the biological foundation of cognitive ability due to the similarity across cultures and individuals in the pattern of cognitive development, and the identification of specific descriptions of cognitive operations (sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete, and formal operations) have fueled this misperception of Piaget’s work as being a biological/cognitive theory of development. However, Piaget acknowledges the dynamics of development across biological and social influences in a manner that is much more consistent with a holistic approach.

Vygotsky’s social–historical theory suffers from a similar fate to that of Maria Montessori and Jean Piaget. This is in reference to the fact that the power of key concepts (including scaffolding and the zone of proximal development) has become the focus of attention while minimal attention has been given to core concepts including the power of social learning and the necessity of social interaction for cognitive development.

Module Four will challenge students to examine the classical theories of cognitive development from a holistic perspective, and to create a depth of appreciation for the fact that Piaget, Vygotsky, and Montessori were seeking to explain development beyond the cognitive domain. Each of these theories moves beyond its cognitive label to acknowledge the necessary roles of biological, social, and environmental domains for their impact on development. In addition, the outstanding contributions to explain cognitive development must be acknowledged for a full examination of each theory to be complete.