Jerome Bruner
American psychologist who pioneered cognitive psychology and learning theory.
Jerome Seymour Bruner (October 1, 1915 – June 5, 2016) was an American psychologist who made significant contributions to human cognitive psychology and cognitive learning theory in educational psychology. He was a senior research fellow at the New York University School of Law and is considered one of the pioneers of cognitive psychology in the United States.
- born
- October 1, 1915, New York City
- died
- June 5, 2016
- field
- Psychology
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Cognitive psychology, cognitive learning theory, spiral curriculum, scaffolding
Lore & Background
Bruner was born with cataracts on October 1, 1915, in New York City, to Polish Jewish immigrants, resulting in severely impaired vision rather than complete blindness. An operation at age 2 restored his vision. He earned a BA from Duke University in 1937 and a PhD from Harvard University in 1941. During World War II, he served on the Psychological Warfare Division of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force committee under General Dwight D. Eisenhower, researching social psychological phenomena.
Bruner returned to Harvard in 1945 as a psychology professor, focusing on cognitive and educational psychology. In 1972, he left Harvard to teach at the University of Oxford, returning to the United States in 1980. In 1991, he joined the faculty at New York University, teaching primarily in the School of Law. He turned 100 in October 2015 and died on June 5, 2016.
Reader's Guide
Bruner's work fundamentally shaped cognitive psychology and educational practice. His early experiments on perception, such as the coin-size study with children and the reversed playing-card experiments, demonstrated that internal interpretation actively organizes perception, challenging passive stimulus-response models. He formally initiated the study of cognitive psychology with his 1956 book A Study of Thinking and helped found the Harvard Center of Cognitive Studies. In developmental psychology, Bruner introduced the concept of 'scaffolding' and proposed three modes of representation—enactive, iconic, and symbolic—that guide learning. He advocated a spiral curriculum, where subjects are revisited at increasing levels of sophistication, and argued that any material can be taught to any learner if instruction is organized appropriately. His educational works, including Process of Education, influenced curriculum design and helped found the Head Start program. Later in his career, Bruner contested the computer model of the mind, advocating a more holistic understanding of cognitive processes. A 2002 survey ranked him the 28th most cited psychologist of the 20th century.
Did You Know?
- Bruner was born with cataracts, causing severely impaired vision; an operation at age 2 restored his sight.
- He published his first article in 1939 on the effect of thymus extract on the sexual behavior of the female rat.
- The term 'scaffolding' was introduced by Wood, Bruner, and Ross in 1976 to describe an instructional process where the instructor reduces assistance as the student progresses.
- Bruner was an advisor and advocate for the Head Start early childcare program, which was created by the federal government under President Johnson.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jerome Bruner?
Jerome Seymour Bruner was an American psychologist born in New York City in 1915 who became one of the founding figures of cognitive psychology in the United States. He spent his later years as a senior research fellow at NYU's School of Law, where he remained until his death in 2016.
What is Jerome Bruner most famous for?
He is best known for developing cognitive learning theory and introducing landmark educational concepts such as the spiral curriculum and scaffolding. His work fundamentally reshaped how psychologists and educators understand the way people acquire and organize knowledge.
What is the spiral curriculum in Bruner's theory?
The spiral curriculum is Bruner's proposal that students should revisit core topics repeatedly at progressively deeper levels of complexity rather than moving on to entirely new material each time. This lets learners build on earlier understanding while gradually tackling more sophisticated versions of the same ideas.
What does 'scaffolding' mean in Bruner's framework?
Scaffolding refers to the temporary, structured support a teacher or more experienced peer offers to help a learner complete a task they could not yet manage independently. Once the learner demonstrates competence, that support is gradually withdrawn so the person can perform the task on their own.
Why is Jerome Bruner considered important in psychology?
Bruner helped steer the field away from strict behaviorism by showing that internal mental processes—memory, categorization, problem-solving—are central to human learning. His ideas on cognition, narrative, and education continue to shape both academic research and everyday classroom practice well after his passing.
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