Cognitive Development in Young Learners

This assignment delves into the fascinating world of cognitive development in young learners. It examines various influential theories, such as those proposed by Piaget and Vygotsky, highlighting their contributions to understanding how children think, learn, and interact with their environment. The provided research papers offer insights into crucial aspects like language acquisition, social-emotional growth, and the impact of early experiences on cognitive development.

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The essay deals with the developmental stages across lifespan and its importance in
child development. The stages identified in human development are infant stage, early
childhood, middle childhood stage, early adolescent, late adolescent and lastly old age. Each
of the stages is important as they accompany age related changes. With every change, a
human becomes competent in daily life, matured, learns to thrive and survive. These changes
are important for social and cognitive development (Feldman, 2016). The essay addresses his
topic in relation to case study of Jack.
For the purpose of the essay, the cognitive and social development is studied as
relates to the problem faced by Jack. To start with cognitive development, it begins since
infancy and is related to perceptual skills, language acquisition, and, information processing.
Cognitive development is necessary for maximising well being, attain full mental capacities
and growth of child (Bjorklund & Causey, 2017). Two relevant theories in relation to Jack
are Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development and Ericson’s social development theory.
Piaget therapy explains four stages four stages of cognitive development. The
sensorimotor stage starts at birth and lasts until age of 2 years. At this age the children
responds to stimuli by collecting the sensory data such as touch, smell, and hearing and they
the body movements. The pre-operational stage lasts from 2-5 years. This stage is marked by
egocentric thought and child is found to think about objects symbolically. Logical thinking
marks the concrete operational stage. This stage lasts from 7-11 years age of children.
Thinking becomes more matured at this stage and children demonstrate reversible mental
actions. From 11 years onwards, the child represents the formal operational stage. At this
stage a child can grab the abstract concepts (Modgil et al., 2013). In the given case study,
Jack is 3 years old and belongs to the age group 2-5 years that is pre-operational stage.

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Ericson’s social development theory deals with the development of social and
emotional skills across lifespan. This development is important for a child to be able to
establish positive relationships in society. The theory explains eight stages and each stage is
accompanied by psychological crisis that is unique to that age group of children (Serafica,
2015). A child of age group infancy-18 months may experience trust or mistrust issues. In the
age group 18 months-3 years, a child may experience autonomy vs. Shame. The feelings
associated with initiative and guilt is observed at the age 3-5 years. Children of age group 5-
13 years may experience industry or Inferiority. The crisis related to identity vs. role
confusion occurs between 13-21 years. People of age range 21-39 years, experience either
intimacy or isolation. The crisis of generativity vs stagnation occurs between 40-65 years.
Even older people experience either despair or Ego integrity (McAdams & Zapata-Gietl,
2015). Jack belongs to age range 18 months to 3 years of Ericson. It means he is in second
stage of social development as per Ericson’s theory. In this child learns to perform certain
actions independently. They willingly tend to eat or dress themselves and feel a sense of
autonomy. If they have to rely on others for these activities, it may lead to feeling of shame.
These skills need to be applied in real life.
The normative cognitive developments for three year old children includes ability to
express their interest in playing with toys or learning. Children learn language at this age.
They learn to pick up words such as “papa” and form simple sentences indicating the
development of thinking (Bjorklund & Causey, 2017). Unlike other children of this age
group, Jack is having non-normative development as he can only babble instead of speaking.
It is the sign of delayed cognitive development. At this stage parents play crucial role. They
establish strong bonding with children and establish trust. It is due to the trust and maternal
support that a child is capable of developing greater sense of control and begins to asset their
independence. The normative social development demonstrated by children of this age group

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is toilet training, eating, dressing independently. They understand sharing of toys and playing
together in groups. Unable to perform these activities is a sign of non-normative development
(Overton, 2013). Parents play a great role in social development. They allow the child to
experiment and understand social roles such as making friends by sharing activities. With the
help of secured attachments with the family members, the child learns to navigate the
relationships which fosters development. Parents provide play opportunities to children that
help them to express different emotions. Parents are responsible to allow the child to explore
the world around them and accept new challenges. It has normative influence on
development. This ultimately leads to social and cognitive development. Jack in the case
study demonstrates non-normative development as he is not toilet trained (Bjorklund &
Causey, 2017).
Social and cognitive development is influenced by several factors. The main factors
are of biological and environmental nature. Examples of biological factors include
intelligence, physical development, sense organs or heredity. Children with high intelligence
learn new concepts quickly. Delayed speech in Jack could be due to defect in sense organs or
hereditary problem. Physical development also influences the cognitive development (Brown
& Lan, 2013). Environmental factors such as parental support, family attachment, play
opportunities significantly influence the social development in children. Strong maternal
support increases the learning opportunities for child. Spending great time with parents and
family a child can have better cognition (Barac et al., 2014). This is due to secured
attachment, bonding, love and empathy that the child develops emotional skills and social
skills. Poor mother-infant bonding leads to weak and insecure bonding. Such children may
worry elaboration (Grist & Field, 2012). Lack of parental support has been found to be
associated with emotional issues in children that demonstrate as poor toilet training. Such

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children show alteration in temperament, show less self-reliance and independence (Hong &
Park, 2012).
The theories of Erikson and Piaget have been useful in understanding the case study
of Jack. Lack of parental support has led to non-normative influences. He is unable to
develop cognitive and social skills that are meant to be acquired at this age. Environmental
factors seem to be the cause of poor toilet training and delayed speech in Jack. Since Vanessa
is the working mother, she may not be able to spend adequate time with Jack. Thus, there
could be a poor mother-infant attachment resulting in emotional issues or worry elaboration.
This may be manifested as poor toilet training. Vanessa due to her busy schedule may not
provide sufficient learning opportunities for Jack. Learning opportunities predict the adaptive
and social development (Green et al., 2014). On the other hand, the caregiver at the day care
centre too could not have established strong relationship, which is the predictor of the child
social development (Serpell & Mashburn, 2012). Jack needs more play and learning
opportunities to enhance self-reliance. He needs strong emotional security to develop
autonomy and self-reliance (Beebe & Steele, 2013).
Understanding the cognitive and social development is essential for the nursing
professionals. It helps them to identify the developmental abnormalities of children at early
stage and take appropriate intervention. They can effectively care for the children knowing
their thinking and comprehending abilities. Piaget and Erikson’s theory act as framework for
nurses and midwifes to modify the child’s learning environment as per their cognitive
capabilities. They can better educate the parents about childcare and importance of maternal
support in early life. In case of Jack, the child and the family health nurse will be better able
to educate Vanessa about specific behaviour pattern that may occur in Jack (Bierman et al.,
2014).

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In conclusion, cognitive and social skills hold great importance in human
development. It helps in maximising wellbeing of a child when transitioning to subsequent
stages of human development.

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References
Barac, R., Bialystok, E., Castro, D. C., & Sanchez, M. (2014). The cognitive development of
young dual language learners: A critical review. Early Childhood Research
Quarterly, 29(4), 699-714.
Beebe, B., & Steele, M. (2013). How does microanalysis of mother–infant communication
inform maternal sensitivity and infant attachment?. Attachment & human
development, 15(5-6), 583-602.
Bierman, K. L., Domitrovich, C. E., Nix, R. L., Welsh, J. A., & Gest, S. D. (2014).
Integrating evidence-based preschool programs to support social-emotional and
cognitive development. Promoting school readiness and early learning: Implications
of developmental research for practice, 231-252.
Bjorklund, D. F., & Causey, K. B. (2017). Children's thinking: Cognitive development and
individual differences. SAGE Publications.
Brown, C. P., & Lan, Y. C. (2013). The influence of developmentally appropriate practice on
children’s cognitive development: A qualitative metasynthesis. Teachers College
Record, 115(12), 1-36.
Feldman, R. S. (2016). Development across the life span. Pearson.
Green, S., Caplan, B., & Baker, B. (2014). Maternal supportive and interfering control as
predictors of adaptive and social development in children with and without
developmental delays. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 58(8), 691-703.
Grist, R. M., & Field, A. P. (2012). The mediating effect of cognitive development on
children's worry elaboration. Journal of behavior therapy and experimental
psychiatry, 43(2), 801-807.

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Hong, Y. R., & Park, J. S. (2012). Impact of attachment, temperament and parenting on
human development. Korean journal of pediatrics, 55(12), 449-454.
McAdams, D. P., & Zapata-Gietl, C. (2015). Three strands of identity development across the
human life course: Reading Erik Erikson in full. The Oxford handbook of identity
development, 81-94.
Modgil, S., Modgil, C., & Brown, G. (Eds.). (2013). Jean Piaget. Routledge.
Overton, W. F. (Ed.). (2013). The relationship between social and cognitive development.
Psychology Press.
Schoenmaker, C., Juffer, F., van IJzendoorn, M. H., Linting, M., van der Voort, A., &
Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J. (2015). From maternal sensitivity in infancy to adult
attachment representations: A longitudinal adoption study with secure base
scripts. Attachment & human development, 17(3), 241-256.
Serafica, F. C. (Ed.). (2015). Social-cognitive development in context (Vol. 27). Psychology
Press.
Serpell, Z. N., & Mashburn, A. J. (2012). Family–school connectedness and children's early
social development. Social Development, 21(1), 21-46.