Developmental psychology

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- Preface
- Theoretical problems of development psychology
  - 1.1 The subject, objectives and methods of psychology
  - 1.2 Conception of age and psychological development stages
- The problem of the periodization of mental development in developmental psychology
  - 2 The problem of the periodization of mental development in developmental psychology
  - 2.1 Biogenetic concepts in foreign developmental psychology
  - 2.2 The theory of Jean Piaget’s mental development
  - 2.3.Epigenetic principle of development by E.Erikson
  - 2.4 Cultural-historical concept of mental development by Vygotsky
- Psychological aspects of ontogenetic development period
  - 3.1.Newborn crisis
  - 3.2 Infancy (2-12 months)
  - 3.3 Toddlerhood (1-3 year)
  - 3.4 Preschool age (3- 6-7 year)
  - 3.5 Early school age (7—10,11 years)
  - 3.6 Adolescence (10-11 — 15-16 years)
  - 3.7 Youth (17-18 – 26 years)
  - 3.8 Aduldhood
  - 3.9 Late aduldhood
- Practice
  - 1.1 The subject, objectives and methods of psychology
  - 2 The problem of the periodization of mental development in developmental psychology
  - 2.4 Cultural-historical concept of mental development by Vygotsky
  - 3.4 Preschool age (3- 6-7 year)
  - 3.6 Adolescence (10-11 — 15-16 years)

- Алғы сөз
- Даму психологиясының теориялық мәселелері
  - 1.1 Психологияның пәні, міндеттері мен әдістері
  - 1.2 Жастың психологиялық тұжырымдамасы және психикалық дамудың кезеңділігі туралы мәселе
- Даму психологиядағы психикалық дамудың кезеңділігі туралы мәселе
  - 2 Даму психологиядағы психикалық дамудың кезеңділігі туралы мәселе
  - 2.1 Шетелдік және отандық психологиядағы қозғаушы күштердің, ақыл-ой дамуының көздері мен жағдайлары туралы пікірлер
  - 2.2 Ж.Пиаженің психикалық даму теориясы
  - 2.3.3Э. Эриксонның жеке тұлғаны дамытудың эпигенетикалық теориясы
  - 2.4 Л.С. Выготскийдің психикалық дамуының мәдени-тарихи тұжырымдамасы
- Онтогенетикалық даму кезеңдерінің психологиялық сипаттамалары
  - 3.1.Сәби дағдарысы
  - 3.2 Нәресте (2-12 ай)
  - 3.3 Ерте жастағы (1-3 жас)
  - 3.4 Мектепке дейінгі жас (3- 6-7 жас)
  - 3.5 Кіші мектептік жас (7-10,11 жас)
  - 3.6 Жасөспірім жас (10,11-15,16 жас)
  - 3.7 Жастық жас (17,18 – 26 жас)
  - 3.8 Кемел жас
  - 3.9 Кәрілік
- Практика
  - 1.1 Психологияның пәні, міндеттері мен әдістері
  - 2 Даму психологиядағы психикалық дамудың кезеңділігі туралы мәселе
  - 2.4 Л.С. Выготскийдің психикалық дамуының мәдени-тарихи тұжырымдамасы
  - 3.4 Мектепке дейінгі жас (3- 6-7 жас)
  - 3.6 Жасөспірім жас (10,11-15,16 жас)

2.4 Cultural-historical concept of mental development by Vygotsky

Applying dialectical synthesis, Vygotsky noted the Marxist concept of the influence of tool invention on human mental life (thesis) and the anthropological view of the role of culture in human development (antithesis). His resolution was the designation of cultural signs and symbols as psychological tools, which he defined as instruments of cognitive development (synthesis). Their importance is that early humans created signs (simple psychological tools) and initiated progress toward complex thinking in the species (phylogeny). For the individual in society, the task is to appropriate the symbol systems of one's culture to develop the related forms of reasoning (ontogeny).

In other words, the traditional role of signs and symbols, such as human speech, written language, and algebraic and mathematical symbols, is to serve as carriers of both meaning and sociocultural patterns. Vygotsky, however, emphasized a second essential role, that of assisting individuals to master complex cognitive functions that are not fully developed prior to adolescence. Referred to by Vygotsky as complex or higher cognitive functions, these capabilities are voluntary (self-regulated) attention, categorical perception, conceptual thinking, and logical memory.

Of particular importance is that Vygotsky considered higher cognitive functioning, the cultural development of behavior, and the mastery of one's behavior by internal processes as equivalent. That is, the higher cognitive functions, which require self-mastery, develop through a complex dialectical process from given biological functions. The process requires the child's mastery of the external materials of cultural reasoning, which become internal mechanisms of thinking.

Vygotsky's conceptualization anticipated subsequent discussions of the need to develop self-regulated learners who can direct and manage their own learning and thinking. Unlike these perspectives, which have had limited success in teaching specific self-regulatory strategies for particular situations, Vygotsky identified two general requirements for developing self-directed thinking. First, higher cognitive functions emerge only after students develop conscious awareness and some control of their own thought processes. Second, school instruction should focus on developing these broad capabilities, which, in turn, develops self-regulation.

The lengthy process required to develop self-mastery and the higher cognitive functions is illustrated in Vygotsky's identification of the four stages of learning to use symbols for thinking. In developing logical memory, for example, symbol use progresses from preintellectual (child cannot master his or her behavior by organizing selected stimuli) to internalization in which individuals construct self-generated symbols as memory aids.

Essential to cognitive development is the social interaction between the learner and a knowledgeable adult. Development of the higher cognitive functions depends on situations in which the adult commands the learner's attention, focuses his or her perception, or guides the learner's conceptual thinking. Formally stated, any higher cognitive function, such as self-regulated attention, categorical perception, or conceptual thinking, was first external in the form of a social relationship between two people. Then, through the learner's activity, it becomes internalized as an intracognitive function.

Vygotsky's emphasis on the dynamics of development is reflected in his critique of psychological research for studying already developed or fossilized behaviors. Instead, research methods should capture the processes of development. Vygotsky's double-stimulation method placed learners in problem-solving situations that were above their natural capacities. Available nearby were aids, such as colored cards or pictures. Vygotsky and his co-workers studied the ways learners of different ages struggled or successfully used these aids, documenting changes in learner activity and accompanying changes in cognitive functioning.

Vygotsky's works about education and cognitive development. Two influential Vygotskian concepts are the role of inner speech and the zone of proximal development. In contrast to the Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget, Vygotsky maintained that the child's external self-focused speech during activities did not disappear. Instead, through a dialectical transformation, it became inner speech that guided the child's planning and other emerging thought processes.

Vygotsky's view that learning leads development and the immaturity of students' conscious awareness and mastery of their thinking at school age set the stage for the concept referred to as the zone of proximal development (ZPD). Defined as including higher cognitive functions that are about to mature or develop, the ZPD is determined by the cognitive tasks the learner can complete in collaboration with an adult or an advanced peer. Simply stated, the cognitive operations that the student can complete with the assistance of another today, he or she can accomplish alone tomorrow.

Some discussions of classroom practices credit Vygotsky as supporting or advocating peer collaboration in the classroom. However, translations of his writings indicate that he discussed only teacher-student collaboration in the classroom. Higher cognitive functions develop through the teacher's requiring the learner to explain, compare, contrast, and generalize from subject-matter concepts. In this way, students learn to control their attention, to think conceptually, and to develop logical networks of well-developed concepts in long-term memory.

Applying cultural-historical theory to disabilities such as deafness, Vygotsky emphasized that the child's social deprivation is the factor responsible for defective development. For example, he noted that the blindness of a farmer's daughter and that of a duchess are different psychological situations because their social situations differ. To address the difficulties faced by disabled learners, Vygotsky suggested that societies continue developing special psychological tools that can provide the social and cultural interactions essential for cognitive development.

Finally, Vygotsky's intellectual heritage includes his emphasis on child study as the science of child development. Required is the synthesis of knowledge from different disciplines that addresses both the development of novel cognitive functions and the educational needs of children.

Control questions:

- What is the main meaning of biogenetic principle in psychology?
- Make a short analysis to “child-adolescent” and “child-subject” system of child’s development in foreign psychology.
- What is the difference between theories of J.Piaget and Vygotsky about child’s cognitive development?
- What is the difference between “socialization” and biogenetic and sociogenetic conceptions about cognitive development?
- How Vygotsky understood the role of environment in congnitive development process?
- What is theoretical and practical value of “the zone of proximal development” concept?
- What is the importance of education and congnitive development problem in our psychology?
- What is the role of social experience in congnitive development of child?

Give the definition to the following notions:

- Biogenetic law
- Recapitulation theory
- Genetic epistemeology
- Adaptation
- Sensor intelligent
- Egoidentity
- Group identity
- Socialization theory
- Higher mental function
- Sensitive period
- The zone of proximal development