The Origins of Intelligence in Children

By Jean Piaget. Translated by M. Cook. (New York: International Universities Press, 1953. Pp. 419. $6.00.)

The Child's Conception of Number. Jean Piaget. Translated by C. Gattegno and F. M. Hodgson. (London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1952. Pp. 248. 25 s.)

One of the most interesting aspects of the contemporary psychological scene has been the resurgence of interest in the work of Piaget. This has coincided with a shift of attention to the psychology of the ego, especially in those features of it not primarily concerned with conflict. Among psycho-analysts, apart from the small group in Western Switzerland styling themselves genetic analysts, the Piagetian ego system has had a lukewarm reception. This may be a reaction to Piaget's increasing intellectualism and lack of interest in the more emotional aspects of development.

Succumbing to the Piagetian weakness for stratification, it is possible to discern three periods in his psychological evolution, not isolated, but in meaningful continuity with one another. During the early period he set about describing the egocentric stage of development, contained mainly within the years 4 to 8. His method was then cross-sectional, which in itself may have predisposed him to look for stages. In the middle period, he made a truly genetic longitudinal study of the sensorimotor stage, his 'sample' consisting of his three children. In the last few years his main concern has been with the concrete and formal stages in intellectual development and their expression in terms of the new symbolic logic. He has continued to classify in stages, and this, at times, becomes a Procrustean process.

The first of these books forms part of a trilogy devoted to the beginnings of intelligence in the infant. Its two companion volumes deal with the construction of the child's primitive reality and with his first steps in the use of symbolism. The trilogy is surely destined to become one of the great sources of genetic data. Its aim,