The child as philosopher

This chapter continues the theme of organicism, with a focus on constructivism. The choice of title is very considered in presenting the theoretical work of scholars who portray the developing child as very much engaged in, and actively contributing to, their own development. Background ideas include George Kelly’s personal construct theory and the psychological construct of cognition. The child is viewed as a curious participant in dynamic interplay with all those around them and in exchange with their own environment and culture. Significant contributions in this mould have come from Piaget and Maccoby and Bruner, as well as those working on connectionism, theory of mind and social cognition.