In the 1900s, two psychological thinkers, Piaget and Vygotsky, studied cognitive development in light of what they observed.
According to Piaget, cognitive development proceeds stage by stage from birth to death and is constructed. Piaget refers to the self-activity that facilitates the acquisition of knowledge as a cognitive process. Cognitive development includes the processes of remembering, thinking, and generating ideas.
Vygotsky’s social cognitive theory states that a child’s cognitive development will occur only when the child is able to interact with society. A key factor in his theory was social interaction and language development.
Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s theories, despite their similarities, had many differences. They are discussed in brief below.
1. CONSTRUCTIVIST:
Piaget was a radical constructivist, while Vygotsky was a social constructivist.
2. ACTIVITY:
Individual activity is a key component of a child’s schema formation, modification, and cognitive development, according to Piaget. That is, the young learner will do this on his own. Thus, it’s a solitary endeavour.
On the other side, Vygotsky discusses group activities because this is where a child’s cognitive growth occurs and he learns via social contact.
3. COGNITION:
Piaget called them biological tendencies and heredity. By this, Piaget meant that when we have brain development, our ability to think will develop, and we can acquire knowledge.
Vygotsky talked about social interaction. According to him, a child will learn what is right and what is wrong by interacting with society. Through this, there will be a change in the development of thinking in the child.
4. LANGUAGE:
Piaget said that when our thoughts develop, language develops.
Think: Language
On the other hand, Vygotsky said that thinking develops only when language develops.
Language: Think
5. PROCESS:
Piaget called it a discontinuous process. Because there is an age concept. The age at which cognitive development occurs is explained.
Vygotsky speaks of a continuous process because there is no age concept. Children will learn through social interaction.
6. KEY FEACHERS:
The key concepts in Piaget’s theory include schema, assimilation, accommodation, equilibration, conservation, classification, and so on.
Vygotsky’s theory is based on five key concepts: social interaction, zone of proximity development, scaffolding, more knowledgeable others, and language development.
