ABSTRACT
The first systematic neo-Piagetian theory, the Theory of Constructive Operators (TCO), arose as an integration of two lines of inquiry: the Piagetian study of cognitive development and Witkin’s study of field dependence. Juan Pascual-Leone (1969), hypothesizing that individual differences in cognitive style influence the appearance of Piagetian operations, proposed construction of a psychological theory compatible with the data of both schools. Pascual-Leone sought not simply to juxtapose the constructs of the two theories, but also to introduce new theoretical constructs allowing redefinition of the basic ideas of both theories in the same language. He sought as well to point out the structural analogies (where they exist) between Piagetian tasks and those created by Witkin.
