Describes three unique characteristics of adult thought: (1) an understanding of the relativistic nature of knowledge, (2) an acceptance of contradiction as a part of reality, and (3) an integrative approach to thinking. Analysis of the philosophical foundations of these characteristics is followed by critical examination of current studies of…

Outlines a life-span model which extends Piaget's theory of cognitive development to adulthood. (SS)

Notes that the pragmatist approach to the study of mind is represented in psychology by Piaget's action orientation. Believes, however, that American empiricists regularly misinterpreted Piaget's approach. Generally supports Barrouillet and Poirier's advocacy of Piaget's orientation, but presents some disagreements with Barrouillet and Poirier as…

Explores implications of two cognitive development perspectives for characterizing ontogeny of causal reasoning. Reviews literature on causal reasoning in the preschool years and concludes that the hypothesis of an invariant causal scheme is only partially correct. (Author/SO)

Provides an alternative conception of postconventional moral development which fits existing data on late adolescent and adult moral judgment better than Kohlberg's higher stage descriptions. Data is from a longitudinal study of 26 undergraduates at Harvard. (Author/SS)

Critically discusses the premise of Piagetian theory that cognition is based developmentally on sensorimotor coordination, exemplified in circular reactions. (Author/SS)

Uses Rousseau's "Emile" to explicate Kohlberg's characterization of moral development and to illuminate several theoretical problems in Kohlberg's cognitive-developmental account. Analysis supports contentions that Kohlberg's concept of morality is unduly narrow and suggests that his one-sidedly rationalistic approach exaggerates the…

Drawing on Piaget's own work and some contemporary studies of social interaction, the author concludes that one may reinterpret Piaget's descriptive psychology in terms of the infant's growing communicative competency. (Author/MP)

Presents a model of the development of desociocentering, decentering relative to the social group, which is based on Piagetian research and theory and Wernerian concepts. (Author/SS)

Piaget's conceptualization of concrete and formal operations is presented. It is contended that Piaget has obfuscated logic, metaphysics and methodology. (MS)

Suggests some difficulties and challenges in understanding and teaching Piaget's new theory. Outlines some differences between Piaget's new and standard theories, such as the diminished status of the emergent skills that mark the onset of concrete operational thinking and the perception of achievements in concrete operations as empirical…

Argues that five stages in the development of self concept can be recognized with a different type of self esteem being appropriate to each stage. The stages are: the dynamic self, self-as-object, self-as-knower, self-as-intergrated-whole, and the "selfless" self. (MS)

An approach to cognitive development which builds upon Piagetian assumptions and methods but which takes into account specific characteristics of diverse symbol systems and media is outlined. Such an approach may account for several phenomena left unexplained by Piaget, integrate diverse strands of research, and suggest promising lines of…

Piaget's theory is identified as a branch of structuralism concerned with the concept of truth, in distinction from French structuralism, which is focused on meaning. The two branches are compared and contrasted, and relations between logic and language are explored. Similarities and differences in the theories of Piaget, Levi-Strauss, and Chomsky…

Maintains that Muller and Overton (1998) challenge the current Zeitgeist regarding infant cognitive development. Suggests that researchers reconsider infants as developing actors in a meaningful environment, not as born philosophers. Notes the need to explore processes underlying key transitions in infancy and the relation between action and…