Chapter 4 - Vygotsky's Theory Flashcards
Imaginary Audience
- feeling like the center of attention
- ability to critically evaluate self leads to assume that everyone else is also critically evaluating you
- explains conformity, susceptibility to peer pressure
Personal Fable
- belief that one’s thoughts, feelings experiences are unique
- new experiences = uniqueness
Illusion of invulnerability
- belief that nothing bad can happen to me (unique)
- explains risk taking behavior
- immaturity of pre-frontal cortex while limbic system grows faster (amygdala)
- evolution - to “leave the nest”
Limits of Piaget’s theory
- under-estimated infants abilities - infants have more knowledge
- vague processes
- individual differences in performance not explained
- undervalues influence of sociocultural environment
Vygotsky’s theory
- constructivist theory (building our belief about the world)
- children as social beings
- learning happens through social plane/interactions
Intersubjectivity
- mutual shared understanding among participants in an activity
- social behaviours shapes internal thoughts and understanding
Guided Participation
- cognitive growth results from children’s involvement in structured activities with others who are more skilled than them
Main contributions to education
ZPD - range of tasks too difficult to do alone but with others is fine - skills in the zone should be focuses of education
Scaffolding - respond to the child’s reactions in the learning situation
- start small steps and more guidance then give more challenges
Language and thought:
- private speech - children use self directed speech to guide behaviour
- Piaget said it represents egocentrism but could be good emotional regulation
-Inner speech - internalization of private speech (requires practice; 3-7 years old)
Lessons from Piaget
- Children are curious and active learners
- facilitate dont direct
- consider the childs stage
- learning happens naturally
- foster sense of exploration and discovery
Lessons from Vygotsky:
- use ZPD do develop curriculum and asses performance
- treat each child as an individual
- use more-skilled peers as mentors
- monitor and encourage children private speech
- place instruction in meaningful context