Vygotsky,
\n Lev. Mind in Society<\/i>. 1978. Cole et al., eds. Cambridge, Mass.:
\n MIT Press, 2006.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Mind in Society<\/i> is an edited collection of Vygotsky’s papers on the
\ndialectical entanglement of sign and tool toward more complex psychological
\nprocesses. Dialectics figure prominently in Vygotsky’s inductive<\/b>
\nmethods. In addition to the link between tool<\/b> and sign (a link accounted
\nfor by "mediated action"), Vygotsky is ultimately interested in the
\ncombinatorial effects of nature (biological tendencies) and sociocultural forces
\nas they blend together in processes of psychological development in human
\nbeings. He moves beyond unidirectional behaviorist (stim-response) models to
\nbi-directional models that account for the coordination of developmental
\ncurrents in children, usually between the ages of 3-6. <\/p>\n
Because speech<\/b> plays a vital role in higher psychological functions
\n(eventually oral speech turns inner and eventually recedes as written language
\nemerges), the distinctions between egocentric speech, inner speech, and social
\nspeech bear on this model of developmental psychology (27). According to
\nVygotsky, "children solve practical tasks with the help of their speech, as well
\nas their eyes and hands." Egocentric speech (this self-talk that supports
\npractical tasks) is distinct from social speech, in which the child’s
\ntalk-while-acting<\/b> is interactive with others. Eventually, social speech
\nturns inward<\/b>; inner speech becomes the basis for the "child’s practical
\nintellect" (27). Vygotsky acknowledges–even emphasizes–that this process
\nadvances unevenly<\/b>, sporadically<\/b>. <\/p>\n
For Vygotsky, signs (internally oriented (55)) and tools (externally oriented
\n(55)) aid knowledge, becoming increasingly intertwined in higher psychological
\nprocesses. Signs are also tool-like in that they affect behavior, but their
\ninternal orientation distinguishes them as a characteristic of human psychology
\nas distinguished from animals. Mediated activity joins tools and signs (54).<\/p>\n
Chapters 1 (19), 4 (52), and 8 (105) are most relevant for discussions of
\ntools, signs, writing, and internalization.
\nMind in Society<\/i> also includes Vygotsky’s well-known stances on play (c.
\n7, 92) and the Zone of Proximal Development (84-91).<\/p>\n
Key terms: Gestalt psychology (4), developmental (7), egocentric speech (12),
\nalloy<\/b> of speech and action (30), visual field (31), mediated remembering
\n(45), dialectical materialist (60), experimental-developmental method (61),
\nlatent period (68), revolution (73), evolution (73), involution (106), the
\nfunctional method of double stimulation (74), auxiliary means (74), zone of
\nproximal development (84), gesture (107), mnemotechnic stage (115), <\/p>\n
Tool use and internatlization relates to mental models (22b)<\/p>\n
"In one important respect, however, [behaviorists] agreed with their
\nintrospective antagonists: their basic strategy was to identify the simple
\nbuilding blocks<\/b> of human activity (substituting stimulus-response bonds for
\nsensations) and then to specify the rules by which these elements combined to
\nproduce more complex phenomena" (4). Atomistic tendencies continue to be a
\nproblem in the research. Gestalt, phenomenology, and process’ triumph over
\nproduct\/isolate are presumably better for studying complexity (in behavior or
\nsystems). <\/p>\n
"A central tenet of [Vygotskian] method is that all phenomena<\/b> be
\nstudied as processes in motion<\/b> and change<\/b>" (6).<\/p>\n
"In this effort [Vygotsky] creatively elaborated on Engels’ concept of human
\nlabor and tool use as the means by which man changes nature, and in so doing,
\ntransforms himself" (7).<\/p>\n
"But Vygotsky believed (and ingeniously demonstrated) that the experiment
\ncould serve an important role by making visible<\/b> processes that are
\nordinarily hidden beneath the surface<\/b> of habitual behavior" (12).<\/p>\n
"The students of practical intelligence as well as those who study speech
\ndevelopment often fail to recognize the interweaving of these two functions
\n[symbol and tool use]" (24).<\/p>\n
"Although practical intelligence<\/b> and sign use<\/b> can operate
\nindependently of each other in young children, the dialectical unity<\/b> of
\nthese systems in the human adult is the very essence of complex human
\nbehavior<\/b>" (24). <\/p>\n
"Once children learn how to use the planning function<\/b> of their
\nlanguage effectively, their psychological field changes radically<\/b>" (28).
\nRel. discursively structured activities (Bazerman) and genre systems.<\/p>\n
"The possibility of combining elements<\/b> of the past and present
\nvisual fields<\/b> (for instance, tool and goal) in one field of attention<\/b>
\nleads in turn to a basic reconstruction of another vital function, memory<\/i><\/b>"
\n(36). This matches with Norman’s discussion in The Design of Everyday Things<\/i>.
\nThe visual field, for Vygotsky and Norman, is "integral<\/b>" (Norman mentions
\nsound for "visibility"; Vygotsky addresses oral speech cues and their lessened
\nrole in higher psychological processes). <\/p>\n
Gist: "Within<\/i> a general process of development, two qualitatively
\ndifferent lines of development, differing in origin, can be distinguished: the
\nelementary processes, which are of biological origin, on the one hand, and the
\nhigher psychological functions, of sociocultural origin on the other. The
\nhistory of child behavior is born from the interweaving<\/b> of these two
\nlines<\/i>" (46). In some ways, ZPD gets at the difference between the two.
\nThese two lines of development also mean that age-based stages (as suggested by
\nPiaget) become uneven.<\/p>\n
"The very essence of human memory consists in the fact that human beings
\nactively remember with the help of signs" (51).<\/p>\n
"To study something historically<\/b> means to study it in the process
\nof change<\/b>; that is the dialectical method<\/b>‘s basic demand" (65). <\/p>\n
"We believe that child development is a complex dialectical process<\/b>
\ncharacterized by periodicity<\/b>, unevenness<\/b> in the development of
\ndifferent functions, metamorphosis<\/b> or qualitative transformation<\/b>
\nof one form into another, intertwining<\/b> of external and internal factors,
\nand adaptive<\/b> processes which overcome impediments that the child
\nencounters" (73). <\/p>\n
"Over a decade even the profoundest thinkers never question the assumption;
\nthey never entertained the notion that what children can do with the
\nassistance<\/b> of others might be in some sense even more indicative of their
\nmental development than what they can do alone<\/b>" (85).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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