LE POINT DE VUE DE PIAGET

Summarizing a summary is impossible if we want to avoid unacceptable schematizing. So let us merely state the theses very briefly developped in this article. (I) Knowledge deals with the transformations from a state into another one, each one being, at the same time, the point of arrival and the starting point of actual transformations. (II) Therefore knowledge is contínously being built up, and this progress does not come down to recordings of external informations, but includes an internal mechanism that (III) can be reduced or compared to self-regulations in the biological meaning. (IV) So the fundamental mode of relation could not correspond to the classical notion of association : it consists in processes of “ assimilation ” of the object to the subject's structures or schemes, with “ accommodation ” of these structures to the properties of the object. (V) The mental development includes stages that occur in a necessary sequential order, but without any fixed chronological date; on an other hand, the possible hastenings or delays of these stages include an optimum speed. (VI) Even learning depends on these laws of development. (VII) Experience has a bipolar role with abstraction from objects in physical experience and from the subject's actions on the object in logico-mathematical experience. (VIII) The general actions of the subject are internalized into operations that are not derived from language, but determine the stages of its acquisition. (IX) Therefore, in addition to the classical factors of development, it is necessary to add a factor of equilibration based on self-regulation, the importance of which in explanation is due to systems of sequential probabilities and to the fact that self-regulation, at first semi-reversible, tends to result in complete reversibility. (X) At last, the elements of this construction are taken from structures of inferior level by a process of “ reflecting abstraction ” in the double meaning of a quasi-physical reflection on a new plane of organization and of a mental reflection that enriches the structure with new operations carried out on the previous operations or actions.     

TRADUCTION ET VALIDATION CANADIENNE-FRANÇAISE DE L'ÉCHELLE DE L'ESTIME DE SOI DE ROSENBERG*

Since the early days of psychology, the self-concept and more specifically global self-esteem has been addressed by numerous researchers in the field. Among the widely used instruments for measuring global self-esteem, Rosenberg's Self-Esteem scale (RSE) has displayed high levels of validity and reliability (Harter 1983; Wylie 1974). Through a brief (10 items) and direct approach, the RSE can be answered quickly by different age and social groups. Considering the good psychometric properties of the RSE mentioned above, and the importance of self-esteem for research in psychology, the purpose of the present four studies was to translate and validate in French the RSE Internal consistency (study 1) and confirmatory factor analyses through LISREL VI (study 2) were conducted with a French-Canadian junior college student population in order to verify the internal consistency and the unidimensional factorial structure of the scale. In addition, the construct validity (study 3) and temporal stability (study 4) of the scale were assessed. Although the present findings are preliminary in nature, they nevertheless support the reliability and validity of the Rosenberg's Self-Esteem scale in French.