LEV S.

VYGOTSKY
CULTURAL HISTORICAL THEORY OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

 Vygotsky was born in Orsha Russia, 1896 He died at the age 37 (June 1934) Primary Goal:

- reformulate psychology as a part of a unified social science and to create a comprehensive analysis of psychological functions. - to develop answers to practical problems facing the USSR and conduct research. Issues he had begun to address that time were the possible hierarchical relationship among mental functions and the development of affect and its role in

 The broad focus of Vygotsky Theory was to

explain: The qualitative changes that account for the emergence of higher psychological (cognitive) functions from lower (or primitive) functions at both the species (phylogeny) and individual (ontogeny) levels and to explain the role of culture in these changes.

PRINCIPLES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

Basic Assumption:

a. The nature of human intelligence b. The delineation of two different lines of psychological development, referred to biological and cultural historical c. The nature of psychological processess d. The design of an experimental method for the investigation of dynamic psychological processes.

THE COMPONENT OF COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

The basic psychological cell is word meaning the

word is a microcosm of consciousness as a living cell is related to an organism. Two principles:

The two branches of cultural cognitive development
The general law of genetic development The processes of signification The Role of Auxiliary Stimuli

The Development of Speech

The signal system developed by human species:

human speech The development is a series of qualitative transformation. The most significant activity in the childs cognitive development also occurs at this time. It is the joining of speech and the childs practical activity that make possible the subsequent development of abstract intelligence. The childs intellectual growth require that the child master the social means of though, which is language --- verbal though is not an innate or natural form of behavior, it is determined by a historicalcultural process with characteristic that differ from

Development in Children with Disabilities

Cognitive development occurs in the context of the

social activities of children with adults. Societys response to those with disabilities leads to social deprivation that result in defective development ---- the disability, alters the childs relationship with the world and affects his/her interaction with people. Primary defects: is an impairment of biological origin. Secondary defects: are the distortion of higher psychological function that result from social factors. Physical or mental defect can be compensated for through alternative, yet equivalent means of cultural

THE NATURE OF COMPLEX THOUGHT

Description indicate the nature and development of

complex though:
Characteristic of higher mental function: uniquely human capabilities that are the product of culturalhistorical development: categorical perseption, logical memory, abstract thought, voluntary (selective) attention. The memory of the small child is manifested as recognition, thinking is linked to action. The transformation that lead from primitive to higher mental function area a shift in control from that of the environment to that of the individual. The higher cognitive function reflect logical thinking. The sign (languages and other symbols) and the method of its use are the focus of the entire process. The improtance of this reconstruction: it involves the mastery of ones own process of behavior.

 The role of the zone of proximal development:

The conditions that contribute to the development of higher cognitive

function: Conceptualization of development: Development actual/completed development and potential development ( abilities that are just beginning to emerge). Potential development the higher cognitions the capabilities the child demonstrate with adult assistance. The ways that progress in development may occur: imitation constructive application in a new situation:
The play of preschool children creating an imaginary situation can be viewed as a means of developing abstract though. Childs independent problem solving at home

In order to imitate: the child must have some means of crossing from what he/she does know to what is new knowlegde for the child.