Jean Piaget had an enormous enthusiasm for the study of infant, toddler and adolescent thought processes as well as their manner of rationale. In his scientific studies of children, he attempted to define the developmental processes that children may experience during the course of their childhood. His theoretical contributions towards the understanding of the psychology of children prove significant even today in the domains of psychology, education and sociology.
Jean Piaget’s interest in the intellectual development of children led him to develop his own developmental theory. He believed that human development involved processes based upon actions, which later progressed into changes in mental operations. In other words, knowledge built upon prior knowledge. This building of knowledge involved amalgamation and adaptation with prior knowledge, followed with incorporation in order to progress cognitively. The theory involved the building of a category, adding to that category, and then blending new knowledge into the established category. This thought process would then lead to an acceptance and understanding of the new knowledge and the building of competency within, thus establishing equilibrium.
Educators have used Jean Piaget’s developmental theory to support the education of students on levels they are developmentally prepared for, while providing correction to their misconceptions. Piaget felt that children’s limited life experience affected the method in which they would process information and determined how they might draw conclusions. He did not mean that children should be force-fed knowledge too soon, or have their childlike misconceptions corrected in a harsh manner. This type of correction might cause the child to lose their intellectual independence and make them unwilling to learn creatively. A child’s ability to invent new conclusions to old problems depended on their ability to maintain creative thought.
Jean Piaget’s theory involved four main stages:
Sensorimotor- (birth to age two) during this stage the knowledge of the infant is defined by their sensory perceptions and motor activities. Infants use skills such as looking, sucking, grasping, and listening to learn about the world around them.
Preoperational- (ages 2-7) the child must have hands-on experiences and visual cues in order to form basic conclusions. Experiences must occur on more than one occasion for the child to understand the connection of cause and effect.
Concrete operational stage- (ages 7-11) He or she can now perform abstract problem solving such as mental math, etc. The child still learns more quickly when educational material applies to real life.
Formal operation stage (begins at ages 11-15) The child’s cognitive base is more similar to that of an adult. The child’s abstract reasoning skills are greatly increased. Some adults never reach this formal operational stage.
Jean Piaget was one of the most significant psychologists of the twentieth century. His structuralist philosophy and brilliant science career have made him an inspiration for educators, psychologists, sociologists and parents all over the world. Jean Piaget died on Sept 17, 1980, however, his theory on child development continues to enlighten, as well as, cause intense debate among those who study and toil in the scientific study of childhood development.
