A classic of child development. The nerd. The prominent scientist who changed the way we look at children and their thinking.
I love Piaget, as her changed how I see children: curious, independent thinkers who build their own understanding of the world. But… is he still relevant?
I am currently reading Piaget’s book, and I am fascinated and surprised at the same time. It is definitely an old-world book – the way children talk, what they play with, how they call their teacher “Maam”. This world is gone with the screens, with the short videos and now… AI…
Critiques and legacy
Piaget’s research was based largely on his own three children: a sample too small to be rigorously scientific. Subsequent large-scale studies did not always replicate his findings consistently. Critics also argue he overemphasised intellectual development at the expense of emotional development. Erik Erikson’s work on psychosocial stages is often cited as the necessary companion piece.
Russian psychologists Lev Vygotsky and Lev Luria showed what Piaget underestimated: the profound influence of family, community, and culture on a child’s development. Children don’t grow in a vacuum. They are shaped by parents, relatives, friends, siblings, and teachers.
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