Cognitive development

Cognitive development is the process by which human beings acquire, organize, and learn to use knowledge. The article concentrates on the period of childhood when cognition undergoes substantial change. It describes two aspects of cognitive development: “what develops” or the content of knowledge, and “how knowledge develops” or processes that contribute to cognitive change. Description of “what develops” focuses on concepts, the mental groupings used to organize knowledge. The section on “how knowledge develops” describes the development of memory, problem solving, reasoning, and executive function.