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Vygotsky’s Theory

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Vygotsky

Born same year as Piaget…

…but into a different world.

Inspired by Marxism.

Socialism – collectivism; cooperation; support.

Knowledge/skills must be shared..

…cognition is shared

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Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory

Cognitive development depends on social/cultural/

linguistic factors.

Child not independent from culture…………….he/she is embedded in cultural context

“The path from object to child and from child to object passes through another person”

(Vygotsky, 1978, p. 30)

i.e., understanding is mediated by psychological tools.

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Mediated how?

Via cultural (social) tools.

Organic tools = biologically endowed

….but cultural tools = :

Technological devices

Organized activities

Industrial production techniques

Symbolic systems (e.g., language, number, writing, maps, flags, etc.)

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Vygotsky’s Theory

...but what is culture?

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Mediated how?

In short, cultural tools = patterns for behaviour

e.g., Baby + spoon

(initially clumsy – which end? purpose?)

Adult guidance = ‘spoon conformity’

(i.e., social convention + logical use)

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Mediated how?Another example…

Base 10 = logic of number system > numerical convention

Oksapmin (PNG) = body parts.Also measure with arm rather than ruler

> 2 different ways of dealing with number but each cultural system has its own logic.

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Mediated how?

Cultural tools not only mediate how we behave and interact with one another…they determine how we view the world.

The world isn’t ‘out there’ simply ready to be ‘picked up’ a la Gibson.

Neither do we have to ‘construct’ the meaning in everything a la Piaget.

Social patterns become internalized and govern the cognitive system.

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Spontaneous vs Scientific Knowledge

• Spontaneous = Lower Mental Function

- unconscious - no instruction necessary

e.g., short-term memory (± 7 items)

(Miller, 1956)

• Scientific = Higher Mental Function

e.g., skilled memory (104 words)

(Staszewski, 2004)• LMF > HMF = ‘cultural tools’

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Spontaneous vs Scientific Knowledge

Another example: Pointing.

First: unsuccessful grasping movement

But: interpreted by caregivers

> grasp acquires social meaning (“help me...”)

grasping movement = cultural ‘tool’

eventually...pointing (an end in itself)

(Subbotsky)

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Spontaneous vs Scientific Knowledge

• Scientific concept formation?

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Function

• “Any function in the child’s cultural development appears twice, or on two planes. First, it appears on the social plane, and then on the psychological plane”

(Vygotsky, 1930/1981, p. 163)

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Function

Culture:Selects tasks for members

Social interaction = guide to success