The Grand Scheme
From WikEd
Cole reviews the framework uniting different principles and the challenge to psychologist to examine both the ontogenetic change (individual development) and phylogenetic change (group development) in relations to each other. "A commitment to the study of the process of human development is ineluctably [inevitably] also an inquiry into human origins." (p. 111). If one is to study the process of individual human behavior or human development today it is necessary to study the history of development of humans as a group. This is reminiscent of what Vygotsky called fossilized behavior where, "to study something historically means to study it in the process of change." (p.65)
In studying the history of psychological evolution Cole reflects on what Vygotsky and Luria called turnng points which refer to something new introduced in a stage of the development process. 1. Phylogeny Turning Point: appearance of tool use in apes 2. Human History Turning Point: appearnace of labor and symbolic mediation 3. Ontogeny Turning Point: coming together of cultural history and phylogeny with the acquisition of language.
The significance of the turning points is not in the individual stages but going from one point to another. From Phylogeny to Human History the transition is the appearance of labor and symbolic mediation, writing. Labor refers to man using tools to master a change so that their needs are served, and symbolic mediation, language, also refers to the idea of mastery but of behavior. Writing is significant because it is a visible form of mediation that facilitates new ways and more levels of human interaction.
The second transition, from "ur-humans" to modern adult humans involves two dimensions or development processes. First, there is the increase use of higher functions in place of lower functions where higher refers to the mediated (sense making, agreement) and lower the natural and unmediated. Second, the development of memory from the natural, everyday, passive memory that does not change their world or their behavior, to the cultural memory which is associated with experience and a change in roles and behaviors.
According to the Grand Scheme Cole discusses (drawing on the work of Vygotsky and Luria), culture and human thinking develop as new methods for, and types of symbolic mediation are developed. From this perspective, consistent with his cultural-historical approach, human development emerges from cultrual development.
1. In explaining turning points Cole states, "turning point from ape to human" (p.112) instead of saying difference between apes and humans. Also in word choice of phylogeny and ontogeny which refer to evolution I wonder how these ideas relating to Vygotsky and Luria's schematic were challenged or viewed by theologians.
2. Does the discussion of "psychological evolution" being from Russian sscholars reflect the mediated unacceptance of evolution of other cultures?
