Section 2.4 Cognitive development theories

1. Meaning and understanding

Cognitive development theory refers to the framework that explains how individuals acquire, organize, and use knowledge over time. Developed primarily by Jean Piaget, the theory emphasizes that children actively construct their understanding of the world through stages of increasingly complex thinking. According to this theory, cognitive development occurs in a series of sequential stages each characterized by different abilities in reasoning, problem-solving, and understanding concepts.