Egocentrism: A Case Study

By Asha Jassani

Jean Piaget

Born in Switzerland on August 9, 1896. He published his first paper when he was 10/11 years old on

his sighting of an albino sparrow Attended the the University of Neuchtel In 1923, he married one of his student coworkers, Valentine

Chatenay, and had 3 children He spent one year working at the Ecole de la rue de la

Grange-aux-Belles a boys' institution created by Alfred Binet. There, he created his standardized test of intelligence and did his first experimental studies of the growing mind.

In 1955, he created the International Center for Genetic Epistemology (Institut d'Epistemologie Genetique)

Died in Geneva on September 16, 1980

David Elkind

Born in Detroit, Michigan in 1931 Obtained undergraduate degree (1952) and Ph.D (1955) from

UCLA Received honorary Doctorate in Science from Rhode

Island College in 1987 Research assistant to David Rappaport at the Austen

Riggs Center in Massachusetts, where he was first exposed to the research and theory of Piaget

National Science Foundation Senior Postdoctoral Fellow at Piaget's Center for Genetic Epistemology in Geneva, Switzerland

Currently a Professor Emeritus at Tufts University

What is Egocentrism?

To perceive and define the world in terms of one’s self.

• Cognitive development Limited mindset

• Cannot “put myself in your shoes”

• Piaget v. Elkind “Three Mountains Problem” - Inhelder &

Piaget

Stages of Egocentrism

Sensori-motor (birth-2 years)• Sees objects as existing in the “here and now”• After 1 year, infant can address the object

outside of it’s physical sense “experience of the object” (Elkind)

• Symbolic function acts as foundation for mental growth

Preoperational (2-7 years)• Cannot differentiate their own thoughts and the

thoughts of others; always believes that he/she is correct, “considering everything from their own single viewpoint” (Cain) three Mountains Problem

Stages of Egocentrism

Concrete Operational (7-11 years)**• Cannot think abstractly (can only understand

concepts in terms of tangible matters), however, they can understand others’ perspectives

• “Sally-Anne” Task**• This is where Piaget believes egocentrism

diminishes Formal Operational (beginning at ages 11-15

to adulthood)• Adolescent egocentrism (Elkind)

Diminishes around 15/16 years old

Vocabulary

Adolescent Egocentrism• self-absorption that marks the teenage search for identity

Imaginary Audience• adolescents feel they are constantly being watched by their

peers and are the focus of their attention.• "It is an audience because the young person believes that he or

she will be the focus of attention; and it is imaginary because, in actual social situations, this is not usually the case (unless he or she contrives to make it so).” (Elkind)

Personal Fable• tendency to believe that their experiences and feelings are

unique, and that no one has ever felt or thought as they do. Invincibility/Invulnerability Fable

• “That can never happen to me!” Cognitive conceit

• Tendency to be more confident than correct; smarter than parents

Vocabulary

Assumptive Realities• Assumptions about reality based on limited information; when faced with

the truth, children make it fit into their perspective. Collective Monologue

• Having a conversation with one another, but within their own conversations

Animistic• Giving life to physical objects• The extent to what children give “life” to changes as they grow*

Moral Heteronomy• A blind obedience to rules set by elders• Linked to egocentrism; single-perspective view of the powerful adults

(overcome by 10) Moral Autonomy

• When rules are followed for the sake of cooperation Crystallization

• when adolescents use their emerging identities as a source of ideas about careers

Statement of Problem

Major Premise: How does egocentrism play a role in a child’s social life?

Minor Premise: Does moving around affect egocentrism?

Hypothesis

Based on Piaget and Elkind’s theory, I believe I will find the participants to display egocentrism, in respect to their age. I, too, predict that the teenager (Nasir) who has moved around more (and will be visiting the state) will be more sociable and aware of his surroundings. Furthermore, in addition to being an adolescent egocentric, I believe that since Nasir is the only male teenager part of the bride’s family, he will be forced to find male friends to accompany him (although it was recorded in the Elkind & Bowen research that adolescent egocentrism is more prevalent in females). Further, I believe that the siblings will stay closer to one another while the only-children will hold a tighter bond with one another.

Critical Questions

1. Will the younger children be more social than the teenagers?

2. How do the participants in the study interact with people their age? Older? Younger?

3. Does gender affect the results? Does the older female teenager seem to be getting rid of her imaginary audience?

4. Is there a difference in the way that the movers act? 5. Do the participants in the study interact with people they

already know, or do they try to make new friends? 6. What are the participants paying attention to during the

wedding ceremony (the ceremony or themselves)? 7. How do the participants react when they are the center of

attention? 8. How does egocentrism play a role in a teen’s/child’s

friendships (morals, attitude, popularity, character changes)?

Pre-Wedding Questions

1. Do you have a lot of friends that will be coming to the wedding?

2. Are you excited for the wedding? 3. What do you think the wedding will be like? 4. Do you want to make new friends? 5. What do you want to do? 6. How do you feel about the wedding? 7. Are you happy that the wedding is in

Atlanta? Why/why not?

Post-Wedding Questions

1. Did you enjoy the wedding? 2. Did you make any new friends? 3. Are you happy that you attended the

wedding? 4. What was your favorite part of the

wedding? 5. What was your least favorite part of

the wedding? 6. Are you happy that the wedding was

in Atlanta? Why/why not?

Setting

Mehndi (Thursday) Pithi (Friday) Jamat Khana Ceremony (Saturday) Reception (Sunday) Valima (Monday) Family Lunch (Tuesday)

Inaara

7 Mover (Chicago to

Atlanta) Preoperational

Stage (see observations)

Observations

Stayed close to Arzina

• “No, I mostly was with Arzina.” (P2,Q2) Car incident

• Ignorant of others’ ideas and perspectives

• Invulnerability Fable Argument with young boy at Valima

• Didn’t believe that the boy was hurt, even though he was bleeding “I didn’t even hurt him!”

“When I scratched the boy. It wasn’t even a big deal but everyone was mad for no reason. No one cared when you hit Pinky!” (P2,Q5)

• Shows preoperational thinking

• Animism

Mahreen

17 years old Mover (Chicago to

Atlanta) Formal Operational

Stage

Observations

Stayed isolated/close to family• “I don’t think so, I really just have a few school

friends, anyways.” (P1,Q1)

Uncomfortable with mehndi• “THIS (points to her hand under the table). But

whatever, I had to, you know?” (P2,Q5) Moral Autonomy

• Getting dressed up

Adolescent Egocentrism• Imaginary audience

• Tries to hide mehndi

Nasir

13 years old Mover (Miami,

Austin, Dallas) Out of State Only Child Formal Operational

Stage

Observations

Constantly looking to see if anyone is watching him• Fixes hair/shirt• Text messages/Checks phone

Talks about football• “It’s a waste of time, I should be practicing …No,

I’m really mad. It’s my break and I’m supposed to be training for football, too…Whatever, we played football for a little bit.” (P1,Q2; P1,Q7; P2,Q2)

Crystallization

Arzina

“11 and 3/4” years old

Only Child Concrete

Operational Stage

Observations

Directions• Cognitive Conceit

“Oh, when I danced!!” (P2, Q4)

Magic Box activities• Assumptive realities

Tried to make everything link back to her initial idea of time

Conclusion

I wasn’t completely correct in my hypothesis. While the children showed egocentrism, the children were at borderline ages, so the factors from the different stages were mixed up together. Further, I was incorrect in my hypothesis that the movers would be more sociable and that the siblings would stick together. It turned out that Arzina and Inaara, the younger ones, would interact with one another and were the more sociable ones.

Limitations

Small amount of time Awkward setting

• Out-of-town• Reunion

Nature Nurture_____________________________________________

Nature/Nurture line