Problem
People used to ask Piaget whether it was possible to speed up cognitive development. Piaget called this concern "the American question" because Americans, he said, are always trying to hurry things along. Most researchers agree that such pressure is indeed detrimental if the child is not developmentally prepared to learn. But others question Piaget's assumption that children's cognitive capacities develop like the ripening of a peach, and are largely unaffected by outside events.
YouTube Video: "The Growth of Knowledge: Crash Course Psychology #18".
Answer these discussion questions:
1) Do you agree with Piaget's theoretical assumptions, particularly that cognitive development is largely unaffected by external events? Explain.
2) What is you position on trying to "speed up" children's cognitive development?
3) Identify two benefits of encouraging children to speed their intellectual development and two of the possible disadvantages.