Literature I 47
Lhe unit of analysis
Following Marxl Vygotsky wanted to find the 'living cell' or 'ɪɪɪieroeosɪɪ
of consciousness that reflects all its aspects' (Vertsch 1985b:193), an
interesting paralellism with *holistic' paradigms of inquiry (see pages
16-17).
By unit we mean a product of analysis which, unlike elements,
retains all the basic properties of the whole and which cannot be
further divided without losing them. (Vygotsky,1962:4).
Zinchenko (1985) notes that, in the history of Psychology, the choice of
the unit of psychological analysis has important consequences for the
structure of the theory: units like sensation, relationship figure-ground,
reflex or behaviour were bound to prove insufficient for the analysis of
complex cognitive processes.
Vygotsky 'the methodologist* went beyond Vygotsky 'the psychologist*
(Vetsch,1985b) as he tried to systematize the requirements for the units
and methods of psychological analysis (e.g., must be capable of self
development - Zinchenko,1985). He suggested 'meaning* as the unit of
analysis for the study of thought and language; using his criteria, but
more influenced by Leont'ev in this aspect, contemporary Soviet scholars
suggest 'activity' or 'goal-directed action* as the unit of analysis for
psychology.
... the human individual's activity is a system in the system of
social relations. It does not exist without these relations.
(Leont'ev,1981:47)
2.3.3 The role of the adult in education
The function of the adult consists in providing instruction not at the
level of actual development (lower limit of ZPD1 which would reinforce the
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