Book Description

"This book is the third edition of the book in which the author set out to discuss the most essential sides of the child's psychic life as far as they develop up to his sixth year. The new literature considered and used in this book is rather concerned with the following subjects : (1) The general theory of psychic life in childhood; here arose the possibility of more closely connecting the theories of mental psychology (B¿hler) and of form-psychology (Koffka) with the theory of the personality, which has become even more decisively than before the foundation of my own attitude. (2) Experimental examination of little children for purposes of enquiry and test. (3 and 4) Psychoanalysis and the Montessori method. We have also added a small number of further extracts from our own diaries, the contents of which, being mainly unpublished so far, give promise of a rich yield in the future. To give facilities for the comparison of the present arrangement and compass of the book with the earlier editions, the most important differences are given as follows : Part I--The survey of the development of child psychology has been brought up to the present time and the general consideration of methods enlarged. Part II (Before Speech)--The first signs of intelligence have been discussed in more detail with reference to B¿hler's and Kohler's theories; the origin of sense-perception has received a different treatment which has some points of contact with form-psychology and which emphasises more strongly than before the inadequacy of "element" and "association" psychology; a critical attitude is assumed towards the theory of "infantile sexuality." Part III--The treatment of speech-development remains unchanged, but a new chapter has been added on the test enquiry into childish proficiency in speech (Descoeudres). Part IV (Looking at Pictures)--Here also there has been especial enlargement of the experimental part (Lotto method-Grade method). Part V (Memory)--Includes mention of the Montessori exercises. Part VI (Imagination and Play)--The play-theory is dealt with from the personality point of view; closer consideration is given to the views of the psychoanalysts (symbolism of imagination, dream-interpretation, sexual theory of play). On the other hand, discussion of confabulation and drawing have been deleted, to be included in a new Part VII--This treats under the title of "Enjoyment and Creative Power" the introductory stages and first initial forms of æsthetic feeling; the paragraphs dealing with fairy-tale imagination, the child and music, drawing from copies, are new, and the treatment of spontaneous drawing has been partly altered. Part VIII, dealing with "Thought and Intelligence," has a new experimental chapter, which treats of enquiries into power of abstraction and number as well as of the application of intelligence-tests to early childhood"--Preface. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved).