Power point presentation - Essay Example

Developmental Psychology: Cognitive-Developmental Theory Cognitive development is an inherent concept of developmental psychology, which has spurred vehement and serious reactions among psychologists. Cognitive developmental theory seeks to demonstrate how human being learns certain environmental concepts. The theory investigates how thinking capabilities of individuals change over time. Cognitive developmental theory was first established by Jean Piaget. In developing the theory, Piaget studied certain group of infants whom he observed to have greater desire to know the objects in the environment.

Piaget observed that in the learning process, children create certain theories that they link to certain social and physical aspects (Kail and Cavanuagh 13). When such predictions made by children fail to occur, a revision on the theories is done. Piaget attributed and linked infant’s theories with scientific theories developed in day to day life. Piaget again continued with his psychological research process discovered new idea about information processing system across the age groups. Piaget and complimentary psychologists realized that information processing system of human beings is much like that of a computer.

Just as computer depends on a larger memory to process information in a quick manner, so does human brain. Speed of information processing in human beings just as in computers relies more on the particular information that is present in the environment. Old and depleted memories also process and interpret information in a slower manner than do the newer memories (Kail and Cavanaugh 14). The concept of information processing as in the cognitive developmental theory came clear to me when I countered an older man in the remote village area with little developments both technologically and economically.

It happened that this old man did not understand more facts about operation and functionality of mobile phones and the main idea about the so called computers. The old man was wondering how information transfers on the air to facilitate appropriate communication. He also did not understand the main ideas behind the social networks and transfer of data among various computer systems. In addition, the old seemed to have problem understanding how theft and fraud can be conducted and what actually the acts entail.

Even though I found these misunderstanding awkward and not up-to time with the current generation identified with information technology, I was convinced to understand his problems from the psychological point of reasoning. I came to think of other old men I occasionally met in the city but did exhibit such extreme naivety and tried to analyze the situation from my knowledge of cognitive development. I realized that one of problems that affected the old man related to poor processing power of information.

His behavior and presentation that indicated some elements of vagueness related to his environment characterized with scarce number of informed individuals and who actually used the technologies. However much I struggled to enlighten the old man and make him understanding the somewhat difficult and challenging facts, he did not act in a manner suggesting total understanding of all the concepts. I almost got irritated and demoralized, but with my understanding of cognitive development and information processing theory, I realized that the old man’s memory had narrowed with age and therefore he could not process or develop certain innate theories to help him in understanding the concepts.

Work citedKail, Robert & Cavanaugh John. Human Development: A Life Span View. 6th. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth Publisher, 2012. Print.