Chapter Three Presentation Prisca

L.S. Vygotsky’s Mind in society Chapter three: Mastery of memory and thinking Presenters: Soim Shin; Prisca Rodriguez

Introduction
Vygotsky and his colleagues carried out a series of experiments to determine if “other operations not related to practical intellect would show the same laws of development discovered when analyzing practical intellect.”
He then presents their discoveries by discussing memory and the social origin of signs.

Social origins of indirect (mediated) memory
There are two types of memory:
Natural memory:
Is very close to perception
Arises out of the direct influence of external stimuli
Is characterized by the retention of actual experiences
Generated (created) memory:
Is the product of specific conditions of social development
Memory is generated by artificial stimuli known as signs
The signs become the immediate causes of behavior

Structure of sign operations
Elementary forms of behavior presuppose a direct reaction to the task.
S R
Sign operations require an intermediate link between the stimulus and the response and possess reverse action
S R
X

Early sign operations in children
Vygotsky, colleagues and A.N. Leontiev conducted experiments that demonstrated the role of signs in voluntary attention and memory
First task: answer a set of questions without using certain words
Second task: additional rules (do not repeat words)
Third task: added nine cards as aids
Fourth task: same as third, but repeated instructions

Early sign operations in children
The results of the experiments indicated three basic stages in the development of mediated remembering:
First stage (pre-school): the child is not capable of mastering his/her behavior by organizing special stimuli
Second stage: external stimuli raises the effectiveness of the child’s activity
Third stage (adults): auxiliary stimuli are emancipated from primary external forms. Internalization takes place.

Questions
1. Should the knowledge of the three stages described by Vygotsky affect our teaching? How?
2. Based on the information provided in this chapter, how can we help our students learn effective ways of studying, as opposed to cramming?

Chapter Three Presentation Prisca

by priscarodriguez

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