Édouard Claparède (1873-1940) was a key figure in the development of scientific psychology. One of his significant contributions was the relationship he established between psychotechnics and functional education, which prioritized children's needs and interests in the learning process. This notion of functional education had practical implications for school and career guidance. Claparède was also interested in the negative emotions that can arise during children's learning and development, proposing strategies to support their self-esteem and motivation. From this perspective, Claparède promoted an important collaborative network on the practice of psychotechnics, organizing international conferences on psychotechnics between 1920 and 1934.


The objective of this paper is to analyze Claparède's contribution to promoting the psychotechnical movement in applied psychology. His ideas on psychotechnical techniques served to promote career guidance at the level of institutions and public administrations. The central idea in his thinking is that education should be based on scientific knowledge of the person in general, and of each individual in particular. Édouard Claparède's legacy has been of great importance in the fields of psychology and pedagogy, and particularly in academic and career guidance, highlighting the importance of considering individual characteristics and their social context.