Abstract
In this article, I will make the case that Piaget’s theory of egocentrism provides evidence for the relevance of his theory to the study of personality. It does so by providing the answers to the still open questions as to the conceptual status of Freud’s concept of ego defense. These are: (1) How does a positive adaptive species characteristic become a negative maladaptive individual personality trait? (2) What is the cognitive-developmental hierarchy of ego defenses? and (3) What is the species characteristic that all Freud’s ego defenses have in common? In order to make the case, it is required to refute the false claim that Piaget’s theory of intelligence is not related to the study of personality. It is also demanded in order to facilitate the work of clinicians, theorists and researchers working in the field of personality and child development.
Journal Section:
ARTICLE
References
1.
Alberts
, A.
, Elkind
, D.
, & Ginsburg
, S.
(2007
). The personal fable and risk taking in early adolescence
. Journal of Youth and Adolescence
, 36
(1
), 71
–76
. 2.
Binet
, A.
, & Simon
, T.
(1916
). The development of intelligence in children (The Binet-Simon Scale)
(E.
Kite
, Trans.). Williams & Wildens (Original
work published 1905
). 3.
Blasi
, A.
, & Hoeffel
, E. C.
(1974
). Adolescents and formal operations
. Human Development
, 17
(5
), 344
–363
. 4.
Boole
, G.
(1958
). An investigation of the laws of thought on which are founded the mathematical theories of logic and probabilities
.Dover Publications (Original
work published 1854
).5.
Cramer
, P.
(1991
). The development of defense mechanisms: Theory, research, and assessment
. Springer-Verlag Publishing
.6.
Cramer
, P.
(2014
). Defense mechanisms: 40 years of empirical research
. Journal of Personality Assessment
, 97
(2
), 1
–9
.7.
Elkind
, D.
(1966
). Conceptual orientation shifts in children and adolescents
. Child Development
, 37
(3
), 493
–498
. 8.
Elkind
, D.
(1967
). Egocentrism in adolescence
. Child Development
, 38
(4
), 1025
–1034
. 9.
Elkind
, D.
(1971
). Research on religious development: A comprehensive handbook
. In M. P.
Strommen
(Ed), A project of the Religious Education Association
. Hawthorn Books
.10.
Elkind
, D.
(1975
). Perceptual development in children: The work of Jean Piaget provides psychologists with important tools for analyzing perceptual skills and performances
. American Scientist
, 63
(5
), 533
–541
.11.
Elkind
, D.
, & Bowen
, R.
(1979
). Imaginary audience behavior in children and adolescents
. Developmental Psychology
, 15
(1
), 33
–44
. 12.
Enright
, R.
, Shukla
, D.
, & Lapsley
, D.
(1980
). Adolescent egocentrism-sociocentrism and self-consciousness
. Journal of Youth and Adolescence
, 9
(2
), 101
–116
. 13.
Freud
, A.
(1946
). The ego and the mechanisms of defense (C. Baines, Trans.)
. International Universities Press, Inc (Original work published
1936
).14.
Freud
, A.
(2018
) Normality and pathology in childhood: Assessments of development
.Routledge (Original
work published 1966
).15.
Freud
, S.
(1943
). A general introduction to psycho-analysis
(J. Riviere, Trans.). Garden City Publishing Company, Inc. (Original work published
1920
).16.
Freud
, S.
(1953
). The defence neuro-psychoses(J.
Riviere
, Trans.).
In E.
Jones (Ed), Collected papers Vol. I Sigmund Freud
(8th ed, pp. 59
–75
). The Hogarth Press (Original
work published 1894
).17.
Hartmann
, H.
(1958
). Ego psychology and the problem of adaptation (D. Rapaport, Trans.)
. International Universitites Press, Inc. (Original
work published 1936
). 18.
Inhelder
, B.
, & Piaget
, J.
(1958
). The growth of logical thinking from childhood to adolesence
.(A.
Parsons
& S.
Milgram
, Trans.). Basic Books (Original work published
1955
).19.
Lapsley
, D.
, & Murphy
, N.
(1985
). Another look at the theoretical assumptions of adolescent egocentrism
. Developmental Review
, 5
(3
), 201
–217
. 20.
Lapsley
, D.
, FitzGerald
, D.
, Rice
, K.
, & Jackson
, S.
(1989
). Separation-individuation and the “new look” at the imaginary aidience and personal fable: A test of an integrative model
. Journal of Adolescent Research
, 4
, 483
–505
. 21.
Lapsley
, D.K.
(1993
). Toward an integrated theory of adolescent ego development: The “new look” at adolescent egocentrism
. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry
, 63
(4
), 562
–571
. 22.
23.
Peterson
, K. L.
, & Roscoe
, B.
(1991
). Imaginary audience behavior in older adolescent females
. Adolescence
, 26
(101
), 195
–200
.24.
Piaget
, J.
(1951
). The child’s conception of the world (J. Tomlinson & A. Tomlinson, Trans.)
. Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd
. (Original work published 1929).25.
Piaget
, J.
(1950
). The psychology of intelligence (M. Piercy & D. E. Berlyne, Trans.)
. Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd
. (Original work published 1947).26.
27.
Schopler,
E.
, & Reichler,
R.J.
(Eds). (1976
). Psychopathology and child development: Research and treatment
. Springer
. 28.
Selye
, H.
(1950
). Stress and the general adaptation syndrome
. British Medical Journal
, 1
(4667
), 1383
–1392
. 29.
Tajmirryahi
, M.
, Ta
, V.
, & Ickes
, W.
(2020
). Measuring egocentrism as a trait-like personality attribute: The development and validation of the egocentrism scale
. Psychological Studies
, 65
(4
), 481
–488
. 30.
Vaillant
, G. E.
, Bond
, M.
, & Vaillant
, C. O.
(1986
). An empirically validated hierarchy of defense mechanisms
. Archives of General Psychiatry
, 43
(8
), 786
–94
. 31.
Weir
, M. W.
(1964
). Developmental changes in problem solving strategies
. Psychological Review
, 71
, 473
–490
. © 2025 S. Karger AG, Basel
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
2025
You do not currently have access to this content.
