Jean Piaget and George Vaillant: developmental psychology theories

Jean Piaget & George Valliant

Using Jean Piaget's epistemological theory of development, explain Greta's life situation to her.

Piaget proposed that human intellectual development was a multi-stage process, rooted in the biology of the developing brain. The first stage, the sensorimotor stage, lasted from birth to the child's second year. During this stage, the child developed a sense of mastery over his or her physical actions, such as grasping. During the preoperational stage from ages three to seven, children apprehend the world in a sensory, irrational fashion. The concrete operations stage, lasting from ages eight to eleven is more logical, but is still characterized by some distortions of perception. For example, children in this age group believe that objects retain their volume, even when the items are placed in different containers. Only around the ages of twelve to fourteen do children gain the ability to understand abstraction (Baskovic, 2010). Greta's adult needs for fulfillment, meaning and education are clearly not being met in her current dependent situation. Having one's material needs met is not enough: Greta needs social and mental fulfillment.

Q2. Using George Valliant's study of adult development and aging, propose one thing for Greta to do that might improve her situation.

According to George Valliant, a well-adjusted adult has healthy coping mechanisms to deal with discomfort. Such adaptations include "altruism, humor, anticipation (looking ahead and planning for future discomfort), suppression (a conscious decision to postpone attention to an impulse or conflict, to be addressed in good time), and sublimation (finding outlets for feelings, like putting aggression into sport, or lust into courtship)" (Shenk 2009, p.2). Greta needs a new outlet and a life outside of her husband and the university community. She had an independent life in Norway but in her new environment she is overly dependent upon her husband, his university, and the university community. Altruistically volunteering for a cause Greta believes in might be one way to find a new circle of friends. This would also improve her English ability and perhaps lead to a permanent job. Her ego would be less reliant upon being in the good graces of the university's wives, and she would be less in need of her busy husband's attentions.