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Contribution Of Jean Piaget And Erikson To The Field Of Development Psychology

1491 Words6 Pages
Comparing and contrasting the contribution of Jean Piaget and Erik Erikson to the field of developmental psychology, with particular focus on childhood development.
Introduction
Research into lifespan developmental psychology has, for many years now, questioned the principal that our lives are predictable and ordered. (Sugarman, 2011) The aim of this essay is to address this subject with specific focus on the contribution and thoughts of both Jean Piaget and Erik Erikson and what they described as the sequence or stages of development an individual must experience in order to reach their potential. (Sugarman, 2011) This essay will outline the findings of both Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory and Erikson’s Psychosocial Development Theory with specific reference to the emphasis they both placed on the importance of childhood development. Also the similarities and differences between each theorist will be acknowledged in order to draw on the overall impact and relevance both theorists had in the field of developmental psychology.

Jean Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory
Cognitive development is a core principal of developmental psychology and in particular it is the work of Jean Piaget, who placed a significant emphasis on childhood development, which is ubiquitous in the field. (Sugarman, 2011) Piaget believed children develop schema, which represent the world. As children learn, they expand and modify their schema through assimilation; using a scheme to make sense of
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