Final answer:
Cognitive development is concerned with changes in our ability to think and process information, which includes various mental processes like learning and reasoning. It is part of overall human development and continues throughout one's lifespan, from conception to death and is intricately detailed by psychologists like Jean Piaget.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cognitive development concerns the changes in our ability to think, which includes learning, attention, memory, language, thinking, reasoning, and creativity. It is one domain of human development, alongside physical development and psychosocial development. Physical development pertains to changes in the body and brain, while psychosocial development is about changes in emotions, personality, and social relationships.
Jean Piaget, a seminal figure in this area, proposed that thinking is a central aspect of development and that children are naturally inquisitive. Piaget's theory emphasizes that children do not think like adults and that our cognitive abilities develop through specific stages. Furthermore, cognitive development is a continuous process that goes on throughout lifespans, from conception to death, becoming more complex during different stages such as adolescence, when individuals move from concrete to abstract thought.