Will's personality can also be analyzed quite effectively from the cognitive perspective. His prowess in mathematics forces him to think abstractly and envision the numbers as physical constructs. He is so successful at this that he solves proofs that Prof. Lambeau worked on for years in a matter of hours. Also, Will's quick thinking and ability to apply his broad swath of knowledge to his everyday life makes him a prime example of Kurt Lewin's theory of field independence. The theory implies that one can understand the observable environment when considering it out of context, a trait that Will demonstrates on numerous occasions. Will also conforms with Jean Piaget's "schema" theory. Will has developed many different cognitive and social structures to cope with different situations. As a child he developed a schema that told him to be wary and suspicious of people, as a result of his abuse. As such, he developed a separate structure that told him it was appropriate to use his intellect as well as his physical presence to intimidate those that he saw to be aggressive towards him or his friends. This is what causes him to lash out at Carmine Scarpaglia and was the fuel behind his intellectual thrashing of Clark at the bar. Based on Albert Bandura's concepts of observational learning and aggressive behavior, it is possible that Will created these personality constructs in reaction to his early child abuse. He witnessed the abuse first hand and saw that his foster father was not punished for it, thereby subconsciously retaining the knowledge that overly aggressive behavior is sometimes acceptable. This also demonstrates a personality that accepts Julian Rotter's "external locus of control." Although he is a strong willed person, he does not actually believe that he has any control over what happens to him. He is afraid of this fact, and as a result he hides behind his false bravado and sarcasm. The violent outbursts and sudden rage are out-of-control reactions that Will makes because he feels they justify his feelings that he can not control himself, even though it is obvious that he can. It's not until he meets Sean, who is observant enough to realize the behaviors and challenge them, that Will is able to look at himself objectively and redirect his focus towards productive pursuits.