Case has advanced a new theoretical construct – central conceptual structures – to help resolve the tension between general stages and conceptual specificity in neo-Piagetian theory. However, a closer look at the content of thought highlights inter- and intra-individual diversity in semantic organization, making the definition of stages more elusive than before. Developmental level and conceptual diversity are difficult to disentangle, whether assessing age-specific competencies or upper limits on processing capacity. Yet, stages stripped of diversity represent cultural ideals rather than real developmental phenomena. To resolve these difficulties, central conceptual structures can be reinterpreted as self-organizing systems that stabilize in response to general and specific constraints, yet reconfigure themselves periodically over development. According to this conception, stage and specificity are two sides of the same coin. Idiosyncratic pathways stem from the amplification of small differences and the consolidation of nonoptimal solutions, but these pathways progress through stable phases of coupling among conceptual and environmental constituents.

Keywords:
Conceptual development, Culture, Diversity, Maturation, Neo-Piagetian, Self-organization, Stage, Systems
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© 1994 S. Karger AG, Basel
1994
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