Social origins of cognition Flashcards
What is the sociocultural perspective and who developed it?
Vygotski: Emphasised role of culture in higher mental functions: involve using socially organised tools (ie money systems)
- Language as driving part
What is meant by cognition as inter-psychological process?
- Higher mental functions learnt through social interactions (adult/peer -> child)
- Then becomes internalised by participation in social interaction - child is active (constructivist)
What is the zone of proximal development?
The distance between independent problem solving and the ability to solve problems with help from others - cognition only change by interactions
What does Vygotsky say about private speech?
- Children likely to talk to themselves (private speech) when tasks are difficult –> better performance
Later becomes inner speech - shows importance of language
What’s the best teaching technique from mothers?
Woods: Scaffolding: Contingent instructions: increase support if child struggles, decrease if child start to solve problem independently
What are the 5 levels of the scaffolding technique?
1) orienting suggestion (how many blocks?)
2) suggestion (turn block around)
3) Solutions (solid block in the middle)
4) physical intervention (divides up design with hands)
5) Demonstration (perform task)
Intervention should be pitched just beyond the child’s current level of performance
What are the strengths of the sociocultural perspective?
- Emphasises role of context in development (social - Piaget sees the child as very isolated)
- emphasised cultural variations (cognition not universal - Piaget says it is)
- Emphasised the role of teaching in cognitive development (Piaget largely ignored this)
What are the limitations of the sociocultural approach?
- Over emphasises the role of verbal dialogue (some non-western cultures emphasises participation more)
- Biology largely ignored
- Vygotsky did not address the mechanisms of internalisation
