Sociocultural Theory

by: Lev Vygotsky

About the Theorist:

Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky (Nov. 17, 1896 - Jun. 11, 1934)

 Born in Orsha, Belarus and died in Moscow, Russia.

 Studied in Imperial Moscow University (unfinished); Shaniavskii Moscow City
People’s University
 His wife was Roza Noevna Vygodskaia
 Children: Asya Vigodskaya and Gita Vygodskaya
 He is known for his works related to Cognitive Development, especially, Zone
Proximal Development (ZPD)
 His influential works are on the relationship between language and thought.

History of Sociocultural Theory

 Lev Vygotsky believed that parents, caregivers, peers, and cultural at large are responsible for developing higher-
order functions. According to him, learning has its basis in interacting with other people. Once this has occurred,
the information will integrate on the individual level.
 He also explained that children are born with biological constraints in their minds. Each culture, however,
provides "tools of intellectual adaptation." These tools allow children to use their abilities in a way that is
adaptive to the culture in which they live.
 For example, one culture might emphasize memory strategies such as note-taking. Another might use tools like
reminders or rote memorization (a technique that uses repetition). These nuances influence how a child learns,
providing the "tools" that are appropriate to their culture.
 Vygotsky was of the opinion that exposing a child to a variety of cultures and social environments expands his or
her knowledge base. It was the believe of Vygotsky that developmental progressions, dependent upon individuals
and cultural tools granted to the child within the social context, will greatly assist him to shape his perceptions of
the world.
 Consequently, educational theorists have specifically focussed on Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory due to the
recognition of the fundamental functions played by social cultural factors and influences in the processes of
learning and development..

Sociocultural Theory:

 Sociocultural theory stresses the role that social interaction plays in psychological development. It suggest that
human learning is largely a social process, and that our cognitive functions are formed based on our interactions
with those around us who are “more skilled”.
 The perspective of Sociocultural Theory, simply explained that our psychological growth is guided, in part, by
people in our lives who are in mentor-type roles, such as teachers and parents. Sometimes, we develop on how
cultural beliefs and attitudes affect how learning takes place.

Applications:

 His Socio-cultural theory has particularly been used by educators to transform children’s thoughts, perceptions,
worldviews and behaviours. According to Vygotsky, social interactions among children in the social context lead
not only to enhanced levels of knowledge but also to a complete transformation of their thoughts and behaviours.
 Parents and educators are increasingly using this theory in discharging their primary duty of assisting children to
become high achievers.
 The theory emphasizes that culture is the primary determinant of individual development. In this perspective, a
child’s learning process is mainly affected by culture since every child grows in the context of culture, including
the culture of school environment.

References:
Cherry, K. (2022). Very Well Mind. What is Sociocultural Theory.
IvyPanda. (2022, Jun 16). Lev Vygotsky: Educational Implication of Sociocultural Thoery