ALL THINGS BEING EQUAL - THE 2 ROADS OF PIAGET AND VYGOTSKY

The relationship between researchers and theorists who identify themse lves as primarily Piagetian and researchers and theorists who identify themselves as primarily Vygotskian has been tumultuous. By contrast, Piaget and Vygotsky seemed to have a mutual admiration for each other' s work. The major argument over egocentric speech was more the result of misunderstanding than real opposition. The real disagreement betwee n the two theorists concerns whether you must identify a primary cause in.the developmental scheme. This difference should not be underplaye d and has led to some true differences between the two theoretical per spectives in terms of emphasis and analysis of development. In spite o f this difference the theories of Piaget and Vygotsky are remarkably s imilar, especially at their central core. It is just that Piaget focus ed on the natural laws of intellectual development while Vygotsky conc entrated on the impact of culture. This paper explores the complimenta ry relationship between Vygotsky's sociohistorical development and Pia get's equilibration theory. The argument is made that both theorists s tart from basically the same place in developing their contributions t o the study of development. New and important theoretical contribution s may be possible through a dialectical integration of the two. (C) 19 94 Academic Press, Inc.