PlACET and His School

A Reader in Developmental Psychology

with contributions by members of the faculty of the Faculte de Psychologie et des Sciences de l'Education,

University of Geneva:

JEAN PlACET

Honorary Professor of Psychology Director of the International Center

for Genetic Epistemology

BARBEL INHELDER

Professor of Genetic and Experimental Psychology

GUY CELLERIER

Professor of Cybernetics and Epistemology

ELSA SCHl\IID-KITSIKIS

Assistant Professor in Clinical Psychology

HERMINE SINCLAIR

Professor of Psycholinguistics

MAGALI BOVET

Research Associate

PlERRE MOUNOUD

Professor of Early Childhood Development Professor of Psychology at the University of Lausanne

HAROLD H. CHIPMAN

Research Associate Lecturer in Psycholinguistics at the University of Fribourg

CHARLES ZWINGMANN

Professor of Psychology Psychothera PISt

Medico-psychological Consultant

JFITACGrmlr ([lIITl@ JR[fi~ §mllicoxIDll

A Reader in Developmental Psychology

editors BARBEL INHELDER and HAROLD H. CHIPMAN

CHARLES Z\VINGMANN coordinating editor

IS] SPRINGER-VERLAG New York Heidelberg Berlin

1976

editors: BARBEL INHELDER, Faculte de Psychologie et des Sciences de I'Education, Universite II, 24 rue dll General Dufour, 1211-Geneve 4

HAROLD H. CHIPMAN, FacuIte de Psychologie et des Sciences de I'Edllcation, Universite II, 24 rue du General Dufour, 1211-Geneve 4

coordinating editor: CHARLES ZWINGMANN, 5, avenue J. Trembley, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING IN PUBLICATION DATA

Main entry under title: Piaget and His School: A Reader in Developmental Psychology

Bibliography: p. 281 Includes indexes. 1. Cognition (Child psychology) 2. Piaget, Jean, 1896-

3. Geneva. Universite. Institut des sciences de l'education (Institut J. J. Rousseau) I. Inhelder, Barbel. II. Chipman, Harold, 1947- III. Zwingmann, Charles. BP723.C5P54 155.4'13'0924 75-8903

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be translated or reproduced in any form without written permission from Springer-Verlag.

© 1976 by Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1976

ISBN-13: 978-3-540-07248-5 e-ISBN-13: 978-3-642-46323-5 DOl: 10.1007/978-3-642-46323-5

In introducing this volume I have great pleasure in thanking the editors for the idea of bringing together a number of recent studies (1960-70) of the Geneva School of Psychology and the Center for Genetic Epistemology, and above all in thanking my closest collaborator, Professor Barbel Inhelder, for the care and perspicacity with which she chose these texts, without forgetting the valuable help provided by her assistant Harold Chipman.

Two aspects of this volume impress me particularly. The first is that, though I have retired-from teaching, not from research-the Geneva School is not only very much alive, but is seen to be continually pursuing new paths if we consider the variety of the problems investigated and the increasing diversification of disciplines: research on learning and the func­tional processes of development, developmental psycholinguistics, cross­cultural investigations, research into clinical and educational applications, as well as innovative work on a number of epistemological questions taken up more recently. Nothing can be more surprising or satisfactory for an author at the end of his career than to see some of his subject matter which seemed exhausted (e.g., conservation research) giving rise to a whole new series of studies. .

My second impression is that of the unity of our various investiga­tions, despite the diversity of perspective so clearly brought out by B.

v

Foreword

Inhelder in her introduction. The reason for this unity is that explanatory adequacy can be attained only by exploring the formative and constructive aspects of development. To explain a psychologic reaction or a cognitive mechanism (at all levels, including that of scientific thought) is not simply to describe them, but to comprehend the processes by which they were formed; failing that, one can but note results without grasping their meaning.

JEAN PlACET

VI

Man distinguishes himself from other creatures primarily by his abstract reasoning capacity and his ability to communicate his knowledge by highly complex symbolic processes. What is called "humanity" and progress is to a large degree a measure of his consciousness and the deployment of his creative potentials.

There are few scientists who have explored the universe of cogni­tion, and contributed to the understanding of the realm of knowledge, with greater genius, care, and scientific intuition than Jean Piaget and his longtime collaborator Barbel Inhelder.

Professor Inhelder and her assistant Dr. Harold Chipman realized this book in spite of the heavy load of research, teaching, and administra­tive duties in a rapidly expanding Institute. It is therefore a particular pleasure for me to presen t this book.

Barbel Inhelder has succeeded Jean Piaget as professor of genetic psychology at the University of Geneva. It is difficult to decide which of her attributes should be mentioned first-her brilliance, her modesty, or her kindness. The latter can be confirmed by all those who have direct contact with her-we have become friends in the course of this project. The former is evidenced by her contributions to this book. As S. Farnham mentions in an editorial which refers to her outstanding work on informa­tion processing in cognitive learning," she has evolved a unique research

VII

Preface

style combining the sensitivity of the Piagetian methode clinique with an objectivity and precision favored by American experimentalists. The result is a type of analysis that draws the Piagetian program firmly into an information processing framework." Under her guidance, the Piagetian conception of the child which has become famous, among other things, as a result of direct observation and dialogue with children, clear theoreti­cal formulations with high inferential and application value (for the normal as well as the deviant child), will be continued and extended.

May this book convey the great significance of this approach to the child and stimulate further research in the area of human development.

CHARLES ZWINGMANN

Vlll

1. "Pia get's theory," by J. Piaget, appeared originally in Carmichael's Manual of Child Psychology (P. H. Mussen, editor), 3rd Edition, Vol. 1. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., pp. 703-710. © 1970 by John Wiley and Sons, Inc. Reprinted by permission.

2. "The gaps in empiri~ism," by J. Piaget and B. Inhelder, appeared originally in Beyond Reductionism (A. Koestler and J. R. Smythies, editors). London: Hutchinson, pp. 118-148. © 1969 by Hutchinson Publishing Group, Ltd. Reprinted by permission of A. D. Peters and Co.

3. "Information processing tendencies in recent experiments in cognitive learning­Theoretical implications," by G. Cellerier, appeared originally in Information Processing in Children (S. Farnham-Diggory, editor). New York: Academic Press, pp. 115-123. © 1972 by Academic Press, Inc. Reprinted by permission.

4. "Biology and cognition," by J. Piaget, appeared originally in Diogenes, (54): 1-22 (1966). Reprinted with the permission of Diogenes, an International Review of Human Sciences published parallelly in English, French, and Spanish, 1 rue Miollis, Paris-15.

5. "The affective unconscious and the cognitive unconscious" is an original translation of "Inconscient affect if et inconscient cognitif," by J. Piaget, which appeared originally in Raison Presente. Paris, 19: 11-20 (1970)

6. "The development of concepts of chance and probability in children," by B. Inhelder, was written especially for this volume. It will also appear in Knowl­edge and Development: Advances in Research and Theory, Vol. 1. New York: Plenum Press (in press) .

7. "Identity and Conservation," by J. Piaget, appeared originally in On the Develop-

IX

Acknowledgments

ment of Memory and Identity. Barre, Mass.: Clark University Press. Re· printed by permission.

8. "Memory and intelligence in the child," by B. Inhelder, appeared originally in Studies in. Cognitive Development (D. Elkind and J. H. Flavell, editors). New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 337-364. © 1969 by Oxford Uni­versity Press, Inc. Reprinted by permission.

9. "Information processing tendencies in recent experiments in cognitive learning­Empirical studies," by B. Inhelder, appeared originally in Information Process· ing in Children (S. Farnham-Diggory, editor). New York: Academic Press. © 1972 by Academic Press, Inc. Reprinted by permission.

10. "Operational thought and symbolic imagery," by B. Inhelder, appeared originally in European Research in Cognitive Development (P.H. Mussen, editor). Monograph of the Society for Research in Cognitive Development, pp. 4-18. © 1965 by the Society for Research in Cognitive Development. Reprinted by permission.

11. "The sensorimotor origins of knowledge," by B. Inhelder, appeared originally in Early Childhood: The Development of Self-regulatory Mechanisms. New York: Academic Press, pp. 141-155. © 1971 by Academic Press, Inc. Re­printed by permission.

12. "The development of systems of representation and treatment in the child," is an original translation of "Le developement des systemes de representation et de traitement chez l'enfant," by P. Mounoud, which appeared originally in Bull. Psychologie Paris, 296 XXV: 261-272 (1971-1972). Reprinted by permission.

13. "Developmental psycholinguistics," by H. Sinclair, appeared originally in Studies in Cognitive Development (D. Elkind and J. H. Flavell, editors). New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 315-336. © 1969 by Oxford University Press. Reprinted by permission

14. "Epistemology and the sfudy of language," by H. Sinclair, appeared originally in Epistemology and the Study of Language. Paris: CNRS (1971). Reprinted by permission.

15. "Some pathologic phenomena analyzed in the perspective of developmental psy­chology," by B. Inhelder, appeared originally under a different title in Merril­Palmer Quart. Behav. Develop., 12 (4): 311-319 (1966).

16. "Operatory thought processes in psychotic children," by B. Inhelder, appeared originally under a different title in Measurement and Piaget (D. R. Green, M. P. Ford, and G. B. Flamer, editors). New York: McGraw-Hill, pp. 163-167. © 1971 by McGraw-Hill Book Company. Used with permission of McGraw-Hill Book Company.

17. "Need and significance of cross-cultural studies in genetic psychology," by J. Piaget, appeared originally [ion French] in Int. J. Psych., 1: 3-13 (1966) and [in English] in -Culture and Cognition (J. W. Berry and P. R. Dasen, editors). London: Methuen (1974). Reprinted by permission of the International Union of Psychological Science and Dunod Editeur, Paris.

18. "Piaget's theory of cognitive development and individual differences," by M. Bovet, appeared originally under a different title in the Procedings of the Peabody­NIHM Conference, Part 1. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, pp. 59-70. © 1970 by Appleton-Century-Crofts. Reprinted by permission.

x

Foreword by Jean Piaget v Preface by Charles Zwingmann vii Acknowledgments ix Introduction by Barbel Inhelder 1

ONE: Theoretical Aspects 9

1. Pia get' s Theory 1.1 JEAN PIAGET

2. The Gaps in Empiricism 24 JEAN PIAGET AND BARBEL INHELDER

3. Information Processing Tendencies in Recent Experiments in Cognitive Learning-Theoretical Implications 36 GUY CELLERIER

4. Biology and Cognition 45 JEAN PIAGET

5. The Affective Unconscious and the Cognitive Unconscious 63 JEAN PIAGET

Xl

6. The Development of the Concepts of Chance and Probability in Children 72 BAImEL INHELDER

TWO: Experiments in Cognitive Development 87

7. Identity and Conservation 89 JEAN PlACET

8. Memory and Intelligence in the Child 100 BAImEL INHELDER

9. Information Processing Tendencies in Recent Experiments in Cognitive Learning-Empirical Studies 121 BARBEL INHELDER

10. Operational Thought and Symbolic Imagery 134 BAImEL INHELDER

11. The Sensorimotor Origins of Knowledge 150 BARBEL INHELDER

12. The Development of Systems of Representation and Treatment in the Child 166 PIERRE MOUNOUD

THREE: Developmental Approach to Language 187

13. Developmental Psycholinguistics 189 HERMINE SINCLAIR

14. Epistemology and the Study of Language 205 HERMINE SINCLAIR

FOUR: Psychopathology 219

15. Some Pathologic Phenomena Analyzed in the Perspective of Developmental Psychology 221 BARBEL INHELDER

16. Opera tory Thought Processes in Psychotic Children 228 BAImEL INHELDER

17. The Cognitive Mechanisms Underlying Problem-Solving in Psychotic and Mentally Retarded Children 234 ELSA SCHMID-KITSIKIS

xii

FIVE: Cross-Cultural Research 257

18. Need and Significance of Cross-Cultural Research in Genetic Psychology 259 JEAN PIAGET

19. Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development and Individual Differences 269 J\IAGALI BOVET

References 281

Author Index 289

Subject Index 295

Xlll