Jean Piaget's biography does not shine with bright events. The famous psychologist in the West world became famous for his research in the field of the psychology of the development of thinking and speech. His scientific works have not lost their significance to this day, they are still studied by students of psychology departments around the world.
From the biography of Jean Piaget
The famous psychologist was born on August 9, 1896 in the Swiss Neuchâtel. This area of Switzerland was inhabited by the French. The watches made here are still popular all over the world. Jean's native language became French, but he was fluent in other European languages.
Piaget's father was a university professor and had an excellent understanding of European literature. He was also interested in natural sciences and history. His father strove to develop Jean's mental abilities in every possible way.
The mother of the future psychologist had an inherent breadth of views and interests. Thanks to her, Jean joined the Christian Socialist movement. In a number of his works on sociology, Piaget criticized the rapidly developing capitalism. However, Piaget subsequently left his political pursuits, focusing entirely on scientific research.
From a young age, Jean Piaget showed remarkable abilities: he conducted his first scientific research at the age of 10. The results of his research were published in the local edition of the association of young naturalists.
In 1915, Piaget graduated from the university in his hometown and received a biology degree. Three years later, he becomes a doctor of sciences. Among other disciplines, Piaget studied developmental psychology. He comprehended psychoanalysis independently.
In 1923, Piaget married Valentin Chatenau, who was at one time his student. The psychologist's family had three children.
Piaget's work in psychology
Piaget's scientific work begins with an essay on psychoanalysis and its connection with child psychology, published in 1920. A year later, the scientist began research that laid the cornerstone for developmental psychology. Piaget was interested in issues related to the development of the child's thinking and speech. He discovered the existence of the so-called egocentric speech, investigated its regulatory function. This discovery subsequently received universal recognition.
Studying the data of tests for assessing intelligence, Piaget drew attention to a significant difference between the answers of children of different ages. It turned out that the younger ones often give incorrect answers to very specific test questions. The scientist made a logical conclusion that the cognitive processes of children are fundamentally different from the cognitive processes of adults.
In 1920, Jean Piaget drew attention to a report at the Sixth International Congress of Psychoanalysts, held in The Hague. The speech of his colleague concerned the issue of the origin and development of speech. The conclusions of the report had a strong influence on the development of Piaget's views. He conceived a series of unusual experiments that formed the basis of the theory of mental development.
In 1921, Jean Piaget took over as director of science at the Rousseau Institute in Geneva. In subsequent years, he taught psychology, philosophy of science, and sociology at his hometown university. For many years, Piaget directed the International Bureau of Education, making annual reports at conferences.
For more than twenty years, Piaget directed the Center for Genetic Epistemology.
Jean Piaget is the author of a number of books on the psychology of cognitive development that are included in the treasury of the science of mental phenomena. The psychologist passed away in 1980 in Geneva.
