ABSTRACT
Cognitive development depends on the existence and maturation of basic information processing mechanisms. Stimulation and active exploration are crucial to development. Vygotsky proposed that the origin of cognitive development lies not in maturation, but in social and cultural influences, acting through language and social interaction. In Piaget’s theory, development consists of the formation and coordination of schemata, which are mental structures: systems of knowledge, actions and thoughts used to understand the world, and which guide behavior. It is also well established that varied stimulation during early infancy is associated with better language and cognitive performance later in life. For example, in one study, some infants of 5–6 months failed an object permanence test when a toy was hidden by a heavy cloth, but passed it when it was covered by a light piece of paper. The ease with which the covers could be manipulated appeared to affect cognitive performance, but actually reflected a physical difficulty with the task.
