Chapter 5: Problems of Method
From WikEd
Vygotsky continues discussion of the stimulous-response framework and illustrates how different schools of psychology use the same methodological framework. This introduction to method is important in supporting psychology being roorted in the natural sciences and the limitations of this approach for, "higher, specifically human forms of behavior" (p. 60). Therefore Vygotsky suggests a method that reflects the "transforming reaction on nature" as opposed to the limits unidirectionally reactive methods. This new method would then also necessitate a new analytical framework for conceptualizing the higher forms of human behavior.
1. Analyze Process not Objects; preference for analyzing the dynamic environment of process over the stable or fixed environment of objects. This first principle also recommneds adding the developmental psychological approach to the experimental which Vygotsky names, experimental-developmental.
2. Explanation vs Description; opposing genotypic (explanation), the discussion of genesis, causal dynamic basis of event or activity vs phenotypic (description), the features and manifestations of an event or activity. This is an important distinction because activities can have the same manifestations but differ in their nature. The analysis suggested by Vygotsky is for causal dynamic relation of essesnce instead of characteristics and nominal description.
3. Fossilized Behavior; "processes that have gone through a very long stage of historical development. ... have lost their original appearance...nothing whatsoever about their internal nature" (p. 63-64). In illustrating fossilized behaviors Vygotsky refers to Titchener's three types of attention, primary, secondary and return to primary. This occurs with study higher forms of behavior, studying as both what is and what was, its development throrugh all its phases and change.
Vygotsky concludes this framework analysis by emphasizing the challenge of method being both the tool and result of product of study.
Stimulous-Response experiments of arithmetic analysis where complex response is the sum of elemnetary components including response time for single recognition reaction, discrimination time and choice time. Vygotsky suggests this premise is wrong and although other scholars also found it inadequate, they could only describe and not explain the essence of the response process. Another problem was relying on mechanics of time. With practice, time measures of complex reaction and simple reflex become similar so the researcher is not able to distinguish or describe process differences between reaction and reflex.
Causal-Dynamic Study of Choice Reactions
Study of the history of the reaction and its changes, transforming the reaction back to source as a process of choosing not the object of a choice. Vygotsky provides an illustration of an experiment manipulating the number and type of stimuli and responses and identifying differences in a group of children and a group of adults. In studies of adults and children the researchers saw process differences and use of memory versus logic as well as how children develop memory to apply logic to relationships between stimuli for choosing a response.
This method studies "not only the final effect of the operation, but also its specific psychological structure" (p. 74). The researchers intentionally select a task beyond the capabilities of the participants so that they must develop through the choice/response process in order to accomplish the task. Vygotsky calls this double stimulation and emphasizes its importance in objectifying inner psychological processes which are beyond current capabilities and provides access to study forms of higher behavior.
[edit] Questions
1. What is an example of a Fossilized Behavior relevant to your area of study?
2. Can methods of qualitative inquiry be included in Vygotsky's framework for capturing the essence of a process?
3. What are some of the challenges of method you have experienced or read in distinguishing differences of human behavior?
