ExpertHard9 marksExtended Response
Language, thought and communicationPiagetCognitive DevelopmentEvaluation
AQA GCSE · Question 11
Describe and evaluate Piaget's theory that language depends on thought.
Describe and evaluate Piaget's theory that language depends on thought.
How to approach this question
1. **Describe (AO1)**: Start by clearly explaining the core idea of Piaget's theory: thought comes before language. Explain what this means using examples. Mention key Piagetian concepts like egocentric speech and how language development maps onto his stages of cognitive development.
2. **Evaluate (AO3)**: Provide at least two evaluation points. Use the P-E-E-L structure (Point, Evidence, Explain, Link).
* **Strength**: Find evidence that supports Piaget. The link between object permanence and language is a good example.
* **Weakness**: Find evidence that contradicts Piaget. The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis is the classic counter-argument. Evidence from atypical development (like Williams syndrome) is also a strong point.
3. **Structure**: Aim for 2-3 paragraphs for the description and 2-3 paragraphs for the evaluation. Use clear topic sentences for each evaluation paragraph (e.g., 'One strength of Piaget's theory is...').
4. **Conclusion**: Briefly summarise the main arguments and offer a concluding thought on the overall validity of the theory.
Full Answer
This question requires both description (AO1) and evaluation (AO3) of Piaget's cognitive theory of language.
**AO1**: Focuses on the idea that children are active learners who construct their understanding of the world (schemas). Language is simply one way they can represent these schemas. Therefore, they must understand a concept (e.g., seriation - ordering objects by size) before they can talk about it using comparative terms ('bigger', 'smaller').
**AO3**: Evaluation involves weighing up strengths and weaknesses. Strengths often come from studies that show correlations between cognitive and linguistic milestones. Weaknesses come from opposing theories like the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis (which argues the reverse relationship) and from case studies or conditions (like Williams syndrome) where cognitive and language abilities do not develop in the way Piaget would predict.
Common mistakes
Not providing a balanced evaluation (only giving strengths or only weaknesses). Also, describing the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis without explaining *why* it is a criticism of Piaget. You must explicitly link your evaluation points back to the theory in the question.
Practice the full AQA GCSE Psychology Paper 2
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