Class 8: Vygotsky’s Social-Historical Theory (Have read Chap 10; video “Play”)
 
Course Notes
Video 1 (25 min) PLAY: A VYGOTSKIAN PERSPECTIVE: How did Vygotsky view play
Dinner! Note: because video is due we need to show video first then quiz after.
Special Quiz: Don’t Panic; You might Like It
Introducing Vygotsky and his Orientation
Lev Vygotsky
Thinking is a product of natural maturation and the cultural and historical circumstances
Died young so hard to criticize parts of theory that were underdeveloped
Marxist psychology
Marx: progress, even in human thinking, comes from conflicting forces in society
Engel: PHYSICAL tool use expanded our cognition. E.g. speech helps us cooperating in making tools
What is the dialectic?
Freud: Id v. superego
Erikson: Maturation v. Social Expectations
Piaget: Assimilation v. Accommodation
Vygotsky: Intrinsic v. Extrinsic forces (OR CULTURE V. MIND)
Vygotsky: people create cognitive tools (signs) to master their own behavior
Most important: speech
People don’t respond to environment; they respond to signs
Memory aids
Young kids do not use them: WHY
Adults don’t seem to use them yet perform: WHY?
Metacognition
Speech
Vygotsky’s “law” from social interaction to internalization.
Piaget: egocentric speech reflects egocentrism and dies out
Vygotsky: “egocentric” speech becomes internalize
What does the rate show?
A curious experiment in a deaf class...
Conscience and Will power
Kids internalize prohibitions
The “brownie” experiment (Eric: show them the M&M video DELAY)
The space helmet experiment
5-6 can just start to inhibit action (Eric: show them the first part of the COMPLIANCE video)
What is the zone of proximal development
Independent Performance
Performance with Assistance
Can we compute this with the quiz?
Examples from Fieldwork in the East Caribbean

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Video 2 (25 min) LEARNING IN CONTEXT: Several experiments involving Vygotsky’s theory?
Preview of Bandura’s Social Learning Theory
His predessors
Pavlov
Stimulus Response
Skinner & Watson: Behavior is shaped by reinforcement
Why should we base our theories on something we can’t observe like thoughts, aspirations, mental models, etc?
Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (COGNITIVE BEHAVIORIAL TRADITION)
Imitation Matters
Thinking Matters
Self-efficacy
Case examples
LOW PRIORITY. Video 3: USING WHAT WE KNOW Piaget on school classroom (Eric: Only show this if there is time; otherwise preview Bandura)
Essay Question: FEEL FREE TO ALSO USE NOTES ON PIAGET. TAKE BREAK, ETC.
In what ways did Vygotsky and Piaget agree and disagree on how children should be education? Describe clearly and fully at least one area of disagreement and one area of agreement. Provide specific examples. Lastly, do you agree with one more than the other? Why?
QUIZ APPEALS WELCOMED!
On a piece of paper
Your ID
Question
Explanation
Reference to Book if Possible
Put in orange GRADE ME folder up front