Born: 9 August 1896 · Died: 16 September 1980 · Age at death: 84
How old was Jean Piaget when he died?
Jean Piaget died aged 84. He was born on 9 August 1896 and died on 16 September 1980.
Swiss psychologist who pioneered the study of cognitive development in children
Did you know?He published his first scientific paper on an albino sparrow when he was only ten years old.
Quick facts
Date of birth9 August 1896
Date of death16 September 1980
Age at death84
NationalitySwiss
BirthplaceNeuchâtel, Switzerland
Occupationpsychologist, zoologist, logician
Editor's Take:
Jean Piaget changed how we think about how children think. Watching his own three children closely, he noticed that their mistakes followed patterns. That suggested a different kind of logic, not just less knowledge. He mapped stages from babyhood to adolescence, with children building understanding step by step. Later researchers found children capable of more than he thought. Still, his ideas shaped teaching methods around the world. Teachers still use his stages to plan lessons today.
Key Milestones
1918: Earns a doctorate studying molluscs
1921: Joins the Rousseau Institute in Geneva
1936: Publishes The Origins of Intelligence in Children
1955: Founds the International Centre for Genetic Epistemology
Jean William Fritz Piaget (9 August 1896 – 16 September 1980) was a Swiss psychologist known for his work on child development. Piaget's theory of cognitive development and epistemological view are together called genetic epistemology.
