THE PROBLEM

The problem I want to raise in this chapter is the following: Does Piaget's theory of cognitive development include a theory of the social? If so, is the theory coherent and/or adequate?

There exists a common set of criticisms of Piaget's theory of cognitive development (Boden, 1980; Hamlyn, 1971, 1978; Meacham & Riegel, 1978; Rotman, 1977; Russell, 1979; Tripp, 1978; Vygotsky, 1934/1986; Wallon, 1928, 1942, 1951; Wilden, 1977): (1) Piaget has no theory of the social contribution to cognitive development; (2) he has such a theory, but it is inadequate because his theory is impoverished and inadequately stresses the social; (3) he may have had a sufficiently complex theory of the social, but it is a false or mistaken one. The question I want to pursue is: Are these criticisms justified?

A common reply to his set of criticisms made by Piagetian scholars (Apostel, 1986; Chapman, 1986; Kitchener, 1981, 1991; Mays, 1982; Smith, 1982, 1995) is that the critics simply have not read Piaget, in particular, his recently translated Sociological Studies (Piaget, 1977/1995). For contained therein is such a social theory. Hence, the critics are wrong about (1). These scholars are less sanguine about question (2), although some argue that the theory is a plausible one (although perhaps needing a few tweaks here and there). It is, however, difficult to find many that argue that (3) itself is false and that Piaget has a perfectly fine account in no need of revision.