Pascual-Leone, Juan

• JPL

Juan Pascual-Leone is a developmental psychologist and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychology at York University. Born in 1933 in Valencia, Spain, he studied the University of Valencia earning his B.A. in 1950 and M.A. with the Faculty of Medicine in 1957.

While studying in Geneva, Pascual-Leone was under the direct supervision of Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget and American psychologist Herman Witkin. He received his M.A. in Psychology in 1964, and his PhD in 1969, both from the University of Geneva. Pascual-Leone also obtained an M.D. (University of Valencia, 1957), a Specialty Diploma in Psychiatry and Neurology (University of Valladolid, 1960) and a Diploma in Experimental Child Psychology (University of Geneva, 1963).

Pascual-Leone began his professorial career as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of British Colombia between 1965-1968. In 1968, he became an Associate Professor at York University, Professor in 1972, and Professor Emeritus in 2001. Pascual-Leone has had a number of visiting professorships across the globe, including: University of California; Van Leer Jerusalem Foundation; Universite de Paris; Universite de Geneve; University of Natal; University of Venezuela; Universidad Javeriana; Universidad de Valle; University Autonoma de Madrid; Universidad de Manizales; University of Belgrano; universidad Nacional de San Luis; University of Nuelva; University of Cadiz; Pontifical Catholic University of Chile; University of Genoa.

Pascual-Leone is prolific in the field of psychology for being the founder of the neo-Piagetian approach to cognitive development, and introducing the term into literature. He also proposed the Theory of Constructive Operators (TCO), a developmental theory on human thought and behaviour, and developed the Figural Intersection Test, or task, (FIT).

2025/07/23 E. Thomas. Creation.