Skinner & Piaget, Child Development

‘Twenty-five hundred years ago it might have been said that man understood himself as well as any other part of his world. Today he is the thing he understands the least.’ (BF Skinner, Beyond Freedom and Dignity)

Compared to other sciences, developmental psychology has not progressed far during the course of history, but without the contributions of Jean Piaget and Burrhus Skinner the lack of knowledge in this area would be much more significant. Piaget and Skinner have contributed important theories to the field of developmental psychology during the past century, particularly about the processes of learning. Piaget’s most extensive theory investigates developmental stages children pass through. Skinner has written numerous books on behaviourism and produced theories on behaviour modification and operant conditioning. Both Piaget and Skinner give a greater understanding of how humans develop from childhood through to adulthood. Although parts of their work may be discredited ...