COGNITIVE PERSPECTIVE OF VYGOTSKY'S SOCIO-CULTURAL THEORY
Renowned Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky introduced a socio-cultural theory of cognitive
development. According to him, social interactions and cultural background have a significant
influence on a child's learning. Vygotsky held that social interaction comes before development, in
contrast to Piaget, who placed more emphasis on individual cognitive development than social
learning. He contends that language is the instrument that molds thought and that social interactions
are the basis for the development of cognition.
Comparison between Piaget and Vygotsky
Piaget’s View:
According to Jean Piaget, learning comes after development.
He contends that in order for a child to learn effectively, they must attain a particular degree of
cognitive maturity.
Development occurs on its own, mostly as a result of the child's interactions with their physical
surroundings.
According to Piaget, children are tiny scientists who build knowledge via experimentation and
discovery.
Example: By dropping objects and watching how they fall, a child can learn about gravity. They
develop this idea internally first, and then they use it in society.
Vygotsky’s View:
On the other hand, Vygotsky suggested that learning comes before development.
He underlined that social interaction—with peers, parents, and teachers—is how children learn.
Cognitive development is triggered when a child participates in social learning.
He held that knowledge is already ingrained in society and culture, and it is the responsibility of the
child to absorb it.
> A child, in Vygotsky's view, learns by absorbing what society and culture have to offer rather than
being born knowing everything.
Three Major Causes of Cognitive Development According to Vygotsky:
