The Foundations of Mind: Origins of Conceptual Thought (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780195311839)

In The Foundations of Mind, Jean Mandler presents a new theory of cognitive development in infancy, focusing on the processes through which perceptual information is transformed into concepts. Drawing on her extensive research, Mandler explores preverbal conceptualization and shows how it forms the basis for both thought and language. She also emphasizes the importance of distinguishing automatic perceptual processes from attentive conceptualization, and argues that these two kinds of learning follow different principles, so it is crucial to specify the processes required by a given task. Countering both strong nativist and empiricist views, Mandler provides a fresh and markedly different perspective on early cognitive development, painting a new picture of the abilities and accomplishments of infants and the development of the mind.

Author: Jean Matter Mandler
ISBN-10: 0195311833
ISBN-13: 9780195311839
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Language: English
Published: 11/23/2006
Pages: 376
Format: Paperback
Weight: 1.15lbs
Size: 9.20h x 6.30w x 0.67d

Review Citation(s):
Reference and Research Bk News 11/01/2007 pg. 10