Discussion of the Concept of Cognition from a Developmental Psychology Perspective: A Literature Review

Authors : Eda Deligöz

Pages : 1097-1118

Doi:10.30622/tarr.1750100

View : 160 | Download : 277

Publication Date : 2025-12-30

Article Type : Review Paper

Abstract :The aim of this study is to examine factors related to developmental psychology using the keywords “cognition”, “Vygotsky”, “Bronfenbrenner”, “Piaget”, and “Tomasello”. This study presents a literature review by bringing together the findings of other studies in the literature on the concepts of cognition and developmental psychology. Studies on the concept of cognition have been found to be interconnected across psychology, developmental psychology, clinical psychology, psychiatry, and other disciplines. It is believed that a multidisciplinary approach to the subject will create a comprehensive and informative content. The research methodology consisted of searches conducted in Turkey and worldwide between 1929 and 2021 on cognitive and developmental psychology using the keywords “Bronfenbrenner”, “Piaget”, “Vygotsky”, “Tomasello”, and “cognition” in the YOK National Thesis Center, Google Scholar, ProQuest, ResearchGate, and Semantic Scholar databases. The sample consisted of 58 articles, books, and postgraduate thesis materials selected for the research. In its most general form, cognition can be defined as a concept involving cognitive processes that play a role in perception, attention, memory, language, problem-solving, reasoning, and decision-making. Cognitive processes are expressed as changes in an individual\\\'s thought, intelligence, and language. Memorizing a poem, solving a puzzle, putting two words together, and forming a sentence can be given as examples of cognitive processes. Three basic developmental processes can be mentioned: Biological, cognitive, and socio-emotional processes. Social cognitive theory, which is important in the field of developmental psychology, is expressed as a perspective that emphasizes behavior, environment, and cognition. The concept of cognition is discussed within the framework of Piaget\\\'s theory of cognitive development, Vygotsky\\\'s sociocultural theory, theory of mind (ToM), Bronfenbrenner\\\'s ecological model, and Tomasello\\\'s views. This study, which evaluates cognition—a multidisciplinary concept in the social sciences—from the perspective of theorists popular in the field of developmental psychology, is expected to serve as an important resource for future research.
Keywords : gelişim psikolojisi, biliş, piaget, vygotsky, tomasello, bronnfenbrenner

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