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Encyclopedia of Child Behavior

and Development
2011 Edition
Editors: Sam Goldstein, Jack A. Naglieri

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Vygotsky’s Cognitive
Development Theory
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Melisa Moore

Reference work entry

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_3054

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Synonyms

Vygotsky’s social development theory;

Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory

Definition

Vygotsky’s Cognitive Development Theory

postulates that social interaction is
fundamental to cognitive development.
Vygotsky’s theory is comprised of concepts
such as culture-specific tools, language and
thought interdependence, and the Zone of
Proximal Development. Furthermore, the
theoretical concepts presented herein provide
part of the foundation for constructivism and
have contributed greatly to the restructuring of
formal educational systems [ 1 , 3 ].

Description

Vygotsky’s Cognitive Development Theory

argues that cognitive abilities are socially
guided and constructed. As such, culture
serves as a mediator for the formation and
development of specific abilities, such as
learning, memory, attention, and problem
solving. It is proposed that culture-specific
tools play an integral role in the way children
organize and think about the world. These
tools may include various social artifacts,...

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References

1. Berk, L. E. (2004). Development

throughout the Lifespan (3rd ed.).
Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Google Scholar

2. Daniels, H., Cole, M., & Wertsch, J. V.

(2007). The Cambridge companion to
Vygotsky. New York: Cambridge
University Press.
Google Scholar

3. Langford, P. E. (2005). Vygotsky’s

developmental and educational
psychology. New York: Psychology Press.
Google Scholar

4. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind and society:

The development of higher mental
processes. Cambridge: Harvard
University Press.
Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011

How to cite

Cite this entry as:

Moore M. (2011) Vygotsky’s Cognitive Development
Theory. In: Goldstein S., Naglieri J.A. (eds)
Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development.
Springer, Boston, MA

.RIS .ENW .BIB

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DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9

Publisher Name
Springer, Boston, MA

Print ISBN
978-0-387-77579-1

Online ISBN
978-0-387-79061-9

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Behavioral Science

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