Structure, Development, and Dynamics of Mind: A Meta-Piagetian Theory

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of a meta-Piagetian theory. The theory aspires to accommodate the architecture and development of human intelligence, mind, and reasoning. For reasons of convenience, from this point onwards, the chapter uses the term “mind” to refer to all of these three aspects of human knowing. As a theory about the architecture and the dynamics of the mind, it involves propositions, assertions, and hypotheses about (a) the structural organization of human knowledge acquisition and problem solving devices and capabilities, (b) the condition of these devices and capabilities at different ages, and (c) the causes and mechanisms which are responsible for their change along with age. The theory has originated in the Piagetian tradition. In addition, testing, in the psychometric tradition is based on the assumption that thought activity is organized along a number of specifiable ability dimensions which can be used to differentiate individuals. In turn, it is assumed that individual differences are signs indicating the boundaries between cognitive structures. Furthermore, the chapter provides the propositions of the theory about the structure of human mind.