Vygotsky's Developmental and Educational Psychology

by Peter E. Langford

Overview

Vygotsky is widely considered one of the most significant and influential psychologists of the twentieth century. Nevertheless, true appreciation of his theories has been hindered by a lack of understanding of the background to his thought. Vygotsky's Developmental and Educational Psychology aims to demonstrate how we can come to a new and original understanding of Vygotsky's theories through knowledge of their cultural, philosophical and historical context. Beginning with the main philosophical influences of Marxist and Hegelian thought, this book leads the reader through Vygotsky's life and the development of his own psychology. Central areas covered include:

* The child, the levels and consciousness
* Motivation and cognition
* The relevance of Vygotsky's theories to current research in developmental psychology.

This comprehensive survey of Vygotsky's thought will prove an invaluable resource for those studying developmental psychology or education.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781135426453
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	06/02/2004
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	312
File size:	691 KB

About the Author

Peter E. Langford is a freelance psychologist, previously affiliated to Birkbeck College, University of London, the University of Tasmania, and La Trobe University, Australia.

Table of Contents

Introduction.Life and Early Work.Biological and Historical Development, 1928-31.The Child, 1928-31.Biological and Historical Development, 1932-34.The Child, 1932-34.Vygotsky and Education.Method. Supportive and Neutral Empirical Findings.Empirical Problems. Extensions and Comparisons.Conclusions.

Editorial Reviews

'This book will be useful to advanced students and to researchers who want to go beyond typical textbook presentations of the theory and who want to explore how tenets of the theory connect to a wide range of issues of current interest and importance. I know I wil review it before giving my next Vygotsky lecture.' - Cecilia Shore in PsycCRITIQUES March 2006

From the Publisher