Social Development Theory

Vygotsky's theories stress the fundamental role of social interaction in the development of cognition Vygotsky, as he believed strongly that community plays a central role in the process of "making meaning."

During the earlier period of his career he argued that the development of reasoning was mediated by signs and symbols, and therefore contingent on cultural practices and language as well as on universal cognitive processes.

Lev Vygotsky refers to Elementary Mental Functions –

o Attention

o Sensation

o Perception

o Memory

Zone of Proximal Development.
This is an important concept that relates to the difference between what a child can achieve independently and what a child can achieve with guidance and encouragement from a skilled partner.

For example, the child could not solve the jigsaw puzzle by itself and would have taken a long time to do so (if at all), but was able to solve it following interaction with the father, and has developed competence at this skill that will be applied to future jigsaws.