7 Of Vygotsky’s Best Quotes

Vygotsky is almost “Mozart” in developmental and educational psychology. Lev Semenovich Vygotsky (1896-1934) was an excellent Belarusian psychologist and physician. He was also a pioneer in Soviet neuropsychology and in developmental psychology theory.

The things Vygotsky had to say were ignored for a very long time. But he never stopped defending an important idea: culture plays a very important role in the development of mental processes.

In fact, we can say in retrospect that his contribution was a real revolution, especially in the fertile territory divided by psychology and education. Much of Vygotsky’s research and words focused on:

• The role of language in human behavior.
• The role of language in the mental development of children.
• The origin and development of superior mental functions.
• Philosophy of science.
• The methodologies for psychological research.

• The psychology of art.
• Acting as a psychological phenomenon.
• The study of learning disorders and abnormal human development.

Vygotsky’s most iconic quotes

The importance of social interaction

The direction thought processes develop in is not from individual to social. Instead, it is from the social to the individual.

He says that learning will be a way to adapt to the available cultural heritage. It is not just a process of individual assimilation.

Vygotsky explains that human learning presupposes a certain social nature. That is, it is a process in which children gain access to what is going on in other people’s brains.

The value of thought for understanding

Through language we have a way of confirming or denying things. This means that a person has an awareness of what they are and can act of their own free will.

Language and thought have different origins, but thought is verbalized and speech becomes rational.

In particular, children’s language is social and external, but it is slowly being internalized. The cognitive development in children takes place through informal and formal conversations with adults. Children begin to experience the world through their eyes, but also through language.

To lay down the imitation

A child is nourished by the environment around him, like a sponge. As we grow older, we continue to imitate and respond to the environment, but more so when it comes to our schemes and values.

The relationship between words and thoughts

A thought can be compared to a cloud that counts words. Language is the most important tool for interaction, and it is a crucial factor in the development of the mind. Language is important for thoughts.

The definition of knowledge

All overall psychological processes (communication, language, reasoning, etc.) are acquired first in a social context. Later they are internalized on an individual level. In essence , there is no better learning than the one that provides experience and self-critical assessment.

The teacher who facilitates

A student goes his own way, and the teacher follows him. What a child can do with help today, they will be able to do themselves tomorrow.

According to Vygotsky, learning is like a tower. You have to build it step by step. It is very closely linked to proximal development, social constructivism and the concept of a scaffolding.

Social adaptation

Vygotsky believed that just social adjustment could really satisfy a need. Let us remember that culture determines a large part of our needs. A mind cannot be independent of the culture it is in. In this sense, we are social beings, not isolated persons.

Vygotsky talks about complex psychological functions, such as dialogue. He sees them as very valuable in  solving problems. His philosophy, with its positive nature, is deeply an attempt to emphasize the importance of the environment, in addition to the power these environments have on our development.

We are constantly changing, and culture and experience are our two main compasses in life.