ABSTRACT
In the neuroconstructivist view of neurological development, both biological processes and environmental experiences impact the development of the brain, and the development of the brain and cognitive development are closely linked. This small background in neurological development contributes to the understanding of how cognitive development occurs. Although an entire subfield of cognitive development exists within the field of developmental psychology, this chapter outlines a few key theories that provide basic terminology. Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development and Perry's Scheme of Intellectual and Ethical Development explain how thinking and reasoning develop during the developmental periods of infancy, childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. Most of the empirical literature examining abstract reasoning among the intellectually gifted has been conducted in relation to Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development, but it is quite outdated. Advanced and accelerated intellectual development can shift the typical developmental trajectory and lead to differing social and emotional developmental trajectories, experiences, and needs among gifted individuals.
