Psychology Atlas

How The Mind Works
Psychologists

Jerome Bruner

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Jerome Bruner (1915-2016) was an American psychologist whose work reshaped how developmental and educational psychology understand how children learn. He coined the term scaffolding for the instructional process by which a teacher provides carefully calibrated support that is gradually withdrawn as a learner internalizes a skill, and championed discovery learning, arguing that a learner of any age can grasp material so long as instruction is organized appropriately for that stage of development. A 2002 Review of General Psychology survey ranked him the 28th most cited psychologist of the twentieth century.

Facts
Birth Year
1915 1
Death Year
2016 1
Birthplace
New York City, U.S. 1
Death Place
Manhattan, New York City, U.S. 1
Nationality / Culture
American 1
Defining Contribution
Coined instructional scaffolding and championed discovery learning, arguing a learner of any age can grasp material when instruction is organized appropriately for that developmental stage. 1
Notable Work
The Process of Education (1961) 1
Cross-Tradition Connections

In Branch

Theories and Concepts Developed

Sources
1. Wikipedia: Jerome Bruner
Wikimedia FoundationDevelopmental psychology section
Quote, Developmental psychology section
Beginning around 1967, Bruner turned his attention to the subject of developmental psychology and studied the way children learn. He coined the term scaffolding to describe an instructional process in which the instructor provides carefully programmed guidance
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1. Wikipedia: Jerome Bruner
Wikimedia FoundationCognitive psychology section
Quote, Cognitive psychology section
These series of experiments issued in what some called the 'New Look' psychology, which challenged psychologists to study not just an organism's response to a stimulus, but also its internal interpretation.
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1. Wikipedia: Jerome Bruner
Wikimedia FoundationEducational psychology section
Quote, Educational psychology section
knowing how something is put together is worth a thousand facts about it
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1. Wikipedia: Jerome Bruner
Wikimedia FoundationIn Branch: Educational Psychology, Opening paragraph (cognitive and educational psychology)
Quote, In Branch: Educational Psychology, Opening paragraph (cognitive and educational psychology)
made significant contributions to human cognitive psychology and cognitive learning theory in educational psychology
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Wikipedia: Constructivism (learning theory)
Wikimedia FoundationTheories and Concepts Developed: Constructivism, Background
Quote, Theories and Concepts Developed: Constructivism, Background
Piaget's focus was on how humans make meaning by integrating experiences with ideas, emphasizing human development as distinct from external influences.
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