Theories of Development by Piaget and Vygotski

Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget developed a theory of cognitive development that suggests that all people to a greater or lesser degree develop in a similar pattern. "Piaget proposed that all people pass in a fixed sequence through a series of stages of cognitive development. He suggested that not only does the quantity of information increase in each stage, but the quality of knowledge and understanding increases as well" (Feldman 23). In other words everyone within the same stage will know and comprehend the same things and be able to reason in the same way.

Piaget believed "...human thinking is arranged into schemes, organized mental patterns that represent behaviors and actions" (Feldman 23). He explains this by telling how infants behave and think singularly and in a concrete way. As a child ages thinking becomes much more abstract and behaviors change because of this. He suggests that the change from concrete to abstract thinking and behavior is due to assimilation and accommodation. "Assimilation is the process in which people understand an experience in terms of their current stage of cognitive development. Assimilation is brought about when people use their current ways of thinking about and understanding the world to perceive and understand a new experience... Accommodation refers to changes in existing ways of thinking in response to encounters with new stimuli or events" (Feldman 23).

Using this theory we can form an estimate of what we can expect from different people in different environments at different ages. For instance, an illiterate fifteen year old adolescent raised in the wilds of Australia and who had never seen anyone but the people of her tribe, the ten year old child of two professors from a prestigious European university, and the five year old child of two artists would all be in different stages of development but would have progressed through life in a similar way. The five year old would be less self-sufficient and mature than the ten year old and the ten year old less than the fifteen year old. The five year old would still have a more concrete way of thinking than the ten year old and the ten year old would still not be able to think in as an abstract way as the fifteen year old even if she did grow up in an enriched environment.

When comparing a ten year old raised in an intellectually and socially enriched environment to an illiterate fifteen year old living in isolation it is hard to believe that the ten year old would not have a cognitive upper hand. Supposing Piaget's theory of cognitive development were wrong and environmental exposure influences development, the ten year old child of professors might be cognitively superior to the girl living in the wilderness even though she is younger. She will have been exposed to more intellectual stimulation and will have a much broader range of knowledge. The fifteen year old would still be cognitively superior to the five year old as there is growth and change in thinking in all environments unless a child is severely deprived and in total isolation.

Russian develop mentalist Lev Semenovich Vygotski had ideas about development that were different than Piaget's. He developed a sociocultural theory that "emphasizes how cognitive development proceeds as a result of social interactions between members of a culture... children's understanding of the world is aquired through their problem solving interactions with adults and other children...sociocultural theory emphasizes that development is a reciprocal transaction between people in a child's environment and the child... people and settings influence the child, who in turn influences people and setting" (Feldman 24-25). Under this theory Vygotsky is essentially saying that no matter what a child's cognitive potential may be, whether it is met to its fullest in heavily influenced by environmental factors.

An example using this theory would exist in the comparison of two children of the same age and general intelligence level, where one child came from a culture where there were many older children and adults who would guide the child's development and the other in which the child played mostly alone. The child surrounded by others would be at a great advantage than the child who played alone, assuming that the people surrounding the child were healthy influences. He would experience more in his life, know how to interact with others and feel comfortable doing so, and have more exposure to new things and different ideas. The child used to playing alone would be limited to ideas that came from his own head and the few things he was exposed to in his environment. He might shy away from other people and be afraid to try new things or to take risks.

If the two children were provided with scaffolding opportunities, the child with lots of interaction with other people might be more likely to take advantage of them. The child used to being alone might be hesitant because he is used to doing things on his own without help or direction from others. If the children were given a task that became progressively harder, the child used to playing alone might struggle more and face more frustration because he is not likely to ask for help, and because he is so isolated others might not bother to ask him if he needs help. The other child might have an easier time completing the task because he will feel more comfortable seeking assistance from peers and teachers.

If Vygotski was correct in his sociocultural theory it would help to back and promote the mainstreaming of handicapped children within schools as opposed to keeping them in separate classrooms designed only for children of their own ability level. Vygotski's theory clearly states that development is influenced by experience and by others who are around the child regularly. If you were to group the children and separate them from others who are functioning at a higher level they would not be exposed to an enriching sort of environment that would promote growth and change. If you mainstream children with handicaps they are in an environment where they can see beyond their current level of functioning. Isolating children with handicaps is not a good way to help them overcome the obstacles they face.

Piaget and Vygotski both had excellent theories that helped explain and examine lifespan development. Both are sources that are called upon in today's research and both theories contain components that can be applied to modern children.

Works Cited:

Feldman, R.S. (2006). Development Across the Life Span. New Jersey: Pearson Education.