Comparison between Piaget & Vygotsky

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Comparison between Piaget & Vygotsky

Similarities

  • Children learn increasingly complex information and skills as they get older
  • Emphasis on both nature and nurture - Both recognise the role of heredity and maturation of the brain and body=nature. Piaget recognises how children meet the demands of their environment
  • Children's cognitive abilities develop in a sequence and particular abilities develop at certain stages

Differences

  • Piaget said that cognitive development is driven by a child's inbuilt tendency to adapt to new experiences whereas Vygotsky said that cognitive development is driven by social interaction
  • Piaget stated children learn through active self-discovery; Vygotsky said children learn through instruction and guidance
  • Piaget believed cognitive development is the same universally whereas Vygotsky said that it differs across cultures and time
  • Piaget believed children will only learn when they are ready, whereas Vygotsky believed that development could be accelerated to an extend, with correct scaffolding and within the ZPD
  • Piaget believed that language is a result of cognitive developement; Vygotsky said that language is key to cognitive development

Overall comparison

The key difference between Piaget and Vygotsky is that Piaget believed that self-discovery is crucial, whereas Vygotsky stated that learning is done through being taught by a More Knowledgeable Other.

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