Lesson 2: Vygotsky Sociocultural Theory of Cognitive Development

Vygotsky's sociocultural theory asserts that learning is an essentially social process in which the support
of parents, caregivers, peers and the wider society and culture plays a crucial role in the development of
higher psychological functions. Vygotsky's Cognitive Development Theory argues that cognitive abilities
are socially guided and constructed. As such, culture serves as a mediator for the formation and
development of specific abilities, such as learning, memory, attention, and problem solving. He
concluded that teaching enables a series of developmental processes that undergo their own
development. This led Vygotsky to his main hypothesis: Teaching is only effective when it points to the
road for development.