The Growth of Knowledge: Crash Course Psychology #18

Introduction to the concept of developmental psychology and how our genetics and environment influence our growth and development from prenatal to post-retirement stages.

Explanation of inherent genetic growth tendencies that influence our behavior and appearance as we age.

Overview of Piaget's early life in Switzerland, his research in zoology, and his interest in studying children's cognitive development.

Explanation of Piaget's theory on specific stages of cognitive development, starting with the sensorimotor stage and progressing through different phases of cognitive growth.

Detailed description of Piaget's sensorimotor stage, where babies explore the world through their senses and actions, lacking object permanence.

Explanation of the preoperational stage characterized by egocentrism, imaginative play, and struggles with understanding other perspectives and concepts like reversibility.

Description of the concrete operational stage where children begin to think logically about concrete events and understand multiple aspects of problems or objects.

Discussion on criticisms of Piaget's four-stage model for oversimplifying cognitive development and the variability of developmental milestones.

Overview of Lev Vygotsky's ideas on parental instruction, social interaction, scaffolding, and cultural influences on child development, contrasting with Piaget's views.