09/18/2026
“The principle goal of education in the schools should be creating men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done; men and women who are creative, inventive and discoverers, who can be critical and verify, and not accept, everything they are offered.”
― Jean Piaget
Born in 1896, Piaget became one of the most influential figures in cognitive psychology. His research introduced the four stages of cognitive development, explaining how children’s thinking changes as they grow:
🔹 Sensorimotor (0–2 years)
🔹 Preoperational (2–7 years)
🔹 Concrete Operational (7–11 years)
🔹 Formal Operational (12+ years)
His concepts of schemas, assimilation, and accommodation helped explain how we build and adapt our understanding of the world.
Piaget passed away on September 16, 1980, but his influence continues to shape developmental psychology, education, and our understanding of the human mind. Here at LaGrange College's Psychology department we hope to cultivate Piaget's adoration for knowledge and discovery in our faculty and students.
