science

Papert's principle

Papert's principle is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Papert's principle rather than just read about it. In short: In child psychology, Papert's principle is often used to explain the results of Jean Piaget's experiments. It is named for Seymour Papert and states that: Some of the most crucial steps in mental growth are based not simply on acquiring new skills, but on acquiring new administrative ways to use what one already knows.

Key takeaways

Papert's principle belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Papert's principle to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Papert's principle from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

In child psychology, Papert's principle is often used to explain the results of Jean Piaget's experiments. It is named for Seymour Papert and states that:

Some of the most crucial steps in mental growth are based not simply on acquiring new skills, but on acquiring new administrative ways to use what one already knows. This explanation of the difference between children by age was initially proposed by Papert in the 1960s. The principle states that the organisation and use of knowledge takes precedence over simple acquisition of knowledge. The most crucial steps in mental growth, as identified by Minsky, take place when a child obtains new administrative skills to utilise pre-existing skills.

See also Association Attention Dissociation Child development Developmental psychology Language development Mental development Thought

References

Sources Minsky, Marvin; Papert, Seymour. "Papert's Principle". papert.org. excerpted from The Society of Mind by Marvin Minsky 1986 Minsky, Marvin (1986). "Chapter 10: Papert's Principle". The Society of Mind. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. pp. 98–107. ISBN 978-0-671-60740-1. OCLC 1804169 – via Internet Archive.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Papert's principle

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Papert's principle claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Papert's principle before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Papert's principle ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Papert's principle

In research: Papert's principle appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Papert's principle in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Papert's principle is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Developmental psychology, Developmental psychology stubs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Papert's principle outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Papert's principle in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Papert's principle means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Papert's principle out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Papert's principle in simple terms?

In child psychology, Papert's principle is often used to explain the results of Jean Piaget's experiments. It is named for Seymour Papert and states that: Some of the most crucial steps in mental growth are based not simply on acquiring new skills, but on acquiring new administrative ways to use wh…

Why does Papert's principle matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Papert's principle?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Papert's principle.