Sunday, September 16, 2007

Who is Jean Piaget?

Who is Jean Piaget? (1896-1980)

Jean Piaget is considered one of the most significant psychologists of the twentieth century. Piaget focused on the thought process of kids and coined this study genetic epistemology. Jean Piaget was born in Neuchâtel (Switzerland) on August 9, 1896 to Arthur Piaget, professor of medieval literature at the University, and of Rebecca Jackson. He died in Geneva on September 16, 1980.

He married Valentine Châtenay, one of his student coworkers in 1923 and had 3 kids. His children became the main focus of his research. At 11 years old, Piaget wrote a 1 page paper on his sightings of an albino sparrow. Thus the start of a brilliant scientific career!

In 1921, Piaget spent one year working at the Ecole de la rue de la Grange-aux-Belles, a boys' institution created by Alfred Binet. Alfred Binet developed a test for the measurement of intelligence, Binet’s IQ and Piaget began noticing that kids in different age groups answered questions differently than their older peers. Piaget theorized that the younger kids were not dumber than their older counterparts, but rather had different thought processes. Piaget standardized Binet's test of intelligence and did his own experimental studies of the growing mind. He published his first article on psychology of intelligence in the Journal de Psychologie in 1921. While working as the director of studies at the J.-J. Rousseau Institute in Geneva Piaget did research on the reasoning of elementary school children and published five books on child psychology. To his surprise, these books received widespread positive reactions. Piaget concluded that children's logic and modes of thinking are entirely different from those of adults. Piaget's research is known worldwide and is used as the template for early education systems. By the time of his death, in Geneva, September 16, 1980, Piaget had written over 60 books and published hundreds of articles.

No comments: