La filière francophone de la psychologie développementale différentielle

Abstract

Summary : Individual differences in cognitive development: The contribution of French-speaking researchers. This paper presents a historical perspective of the study of individual differences in cognitive development from the vantage point of Francophonie researchers. It is organized around four main sections. The first section describes key elements of the Piagetian model of intelligence for the understanding of individual differences within a generai developmental model of intelligence. The second section presents some factors that have contributed to bringing together the psychometric and the Piagetian approaches. The third section describes how three important methodological improvements to the clinical method, and to a lesser extent, the study of clinical populations and the functionalist approach to the study ofcognitive development have contributed to a better understanding of individual differences within the Piagetian perspective. Finally, the fourth section focuses on researchers' ability to integrate theoretical and methodological concerns in their study of cognitive development. Following Reuchlin's suggestions Longeot, and then Lautrey, Bideau, de Ribeaupierre and Rieben have formulated a multidimensional and pluralistic model of cognitive functioning and development which includes the reality of individual differences within a generai model of cognitive development. Key words : cognitive development, differential approach, history.