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The Child's Conception of the World: A 20th-Century Classic of Child Psychology

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Piaget provides a developmental model of human intelligence. He outlines distinct stages beginning with the sensory- motor stage and shows how in each stages the child integrates what has been previously learned in order to expand and develop his powers. Instead of focusing on 'inherent and deterministic drives, or on archetypal eternal patterns, he focuses on capabilities which emerge through interaction between the changing inner world of the child and the world he meets. Piaget puts emphasis on Mankind as a 'creating and constructing creature'.
His writing is complex and often abstract and difficult. But his ideas have been basic to the whole study of child development.

Jean Piaget (1896-1980) was a Swiss developmental psychologist known for his epistemological studies with children. His theory of cognitive development and epistemological view are known as "genetic epistemology". This book continues the research of his earlier books, The Language And Thought Of The Child and Judgement and Reasoning in the Child (Quality Paperback: No. 205).

He states in the Introduction, "The subject of this investigation ... is as follows: What conceptions of the world does the child naturally form at the different stages of its development ... What use does he make of the notions of cause and of law?"

Here are some representative quotations from the book:

"Unfortunately the study of the child raises a much more serious difficulty, that of distinguishing from among the results of the examination the part to be regarded as the child's original contribution and that due to previous adult influences. Put in this form the problem is insoluble." (Pg. 28)
"Since the child does not distinguish the psychical from the physical world, since in the early stages of his development he does not even recognize any definite limits between his self and the external world, it is to be expected that he will regard as living and conscious a large number of objects which are for us inert."
"Such then seems to be the starting-point of the filial emotion---that parents are gods." (Pg. 366)

this book must be in your collection of resource texts - Pattye Anderson, MSN - pattyeinc Amazon seller