HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT 2: FILIPINO PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL WORK

MODULE 12: SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT THEORY

MODULE/TOPIC

WHAT IS VYGOTSKY’S THEORY?

Lev Vygotsky's Social Development Theory, also known as Sociocultural Theory, emphasizes the fundamental role of social.
interaction in the development of cognition. In the social development theory, Leo Vygotsky primarily explains that socialization
affects the learning process in an individual. It tries to explain consciousness or awareness as the result of socialization. This
means that when we talk to our peers or adults, we talk to them for the sake of communication. After we interact with other people,
we tend to internalize what we say.

FOUR STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT OF VYGOTSKY

Infancy: Emotional interactions with caregivers

Early Childhood (ages 1-3):Object-centered joint explorations with caregivers.
School Age: Learning school
Adolescence: Interactions with peers

FOUR ELEMENTARY MENTAL FUNCTIONS

Vygotsky's child development theory refers to four 'elementary mental functions' as the innate abilities that we are born with.
These are:
● Attention
● Sensation
● Perception
● Memory

These abilities are then developed into 'higher mental functions' through social interaction with our community.

CONCEPT OF VYGOTSKY’S THEORY

Zone of Proximal Development (ZDO)

This is the gap between what a child can do independently and what they can achieve with guidance from a more
knowledgeable other (MKO), such as a teacher, parent, or peer. The ZPD can be broken down into three distinct stages in terms of
a learner's skillset. In order to improve the ability of the learner the more knowledgeable person must understand what stage they
are in.

MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE OTHER (MKO)

This refers to someone who has a higher level of understanding or ability than the learner in a particular task or concept. The
MKO provides support and guidance to help the learner progress. The more knowledgeable other could be anyone with a greater
understanding of the task or concept that the child is trying to complete or learn. Most often, this would be a parent, caregiver or
teacher, but it could also be a peer or mentor.
SCAFFOLDING

This is a process where the MKO provides temporary support to the learner, which is gradually removed as the learner
becomes more competent. scaffolding is a method of guided learning that helps a student learn by pairing them with an educator.
The educator should have greater experience with the task or process than the student, but they should also have an
understanding of the level that the student is at and how they can address this level.

THE BENEFITS OF SCAFFOLDING INCLUDE

Motivating the learner by helping them through aspects of task that they have trouble with
Minimizing frustration for the learner
Providing a faster learning experience

PRIVATE SPEECH
Vygotsky believed that children use language to guide their own actions and thoughts. This self-directed speech, or private
speech, is crucial for cognitive development. Private speech also provides an aspect of language development. Vygotsky
considered private speech as a major transition point between social and inner speech.

CULTURAL TOOLS
Vygotsky also recognized the importance of cultural tools in cognition. Cultural tools in cognition can be referred to as any tool
that supports communication. For instance, the media or television are just a handful of all the tools that are available for problem
solving and learning. Therefore, children can utilize the cultural tools to help support their own learning.

PIAGET’S THEORY ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Social development can be summarily described as the process of organizing human energies and activities at higher levels to
achieve greater results. Development increases the utilization of human potential Jean Piaget's theory primarily focuses on
cognitive development, but it also has implications for social development.

FOUR STAGES OF COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENTS: PIAGETS

Sensorimotor Stages (Birth to 2 years) - It is marked by the child discovering the difference between themselves and
their environment. At that point, they will use their senses to learn things about both themselves and their environment.
Preoperational Stage (2 to 7 years) - During this stage, children build on object permanence and continue to develop
abstract mental processes. This means they can think about things beyond the physical world, such as things that
happened in the past.
Concrete Operational Stage (7 to 11 years) - Children learn logical, concrete (physical) rules about objects, such as
height, weight, and volume. They also learn that an object’s properties stay the same, even if the appearance changes
Formal Operational Stage (12+ years) - Adolescents learn logical rules to understand abstract concepts and solve
problems. For example, they may understand the concept of justice.

Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development is a cornerstone in understanding how children learn and think.

SCHEMAS
These are mental frameworks that help individuals organize and interpret information. They are the building blocks of
knowledge.
ASSIMILATION
This process involves incorporating new information into existing schemas. For example, a child who knows what a dog is might
call a cat a dog because it fits their existing schema for four-legged animals.

ACCOMODATION
Is the process of modifying existing schemas or creating new ones when new information doesn't fit into existing schemas.
Using the previous example, the child will eventually learn to differentiate between dogs and cats

EQUILIBRATION
This is the balance between assimilation and accommodation. It drives the progression through the stages of cognitive
development as children encounter and resolve cognitive conflicts.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN VYGOTSKY’S THEORY AND PIAGET’S THEORY?

The fundamental difference between Piaget and Vygotsky is that Piaget believed in the constructivist approach of children, or in
other words, how the child interacts with the environment, whereas Vygotsky stated that learning is
taught through socially and culturally.

THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VYGOTSKY’S AND PIAGET’S THEORIES IS GIVEN BELOW.

Jean Piaget's Lev Vygotsky’s

● He believes that the child is the active ● He believed that learning support is necessary for every
construction of knowledge. child.

● He considered that after maturity, the child can ● He considered that a group of peers is important for
learn anything easily. learning anything.

● This theory is based on cognitive development. ● Vygotsky emphasizes the role of the culture in cognitive
development.

● The first thought comes, then language comes. ● First language came then thoughts came.

Reference
Gowrie Marketing. (2022, July 8). Lev Vygotsky’s theory of child development. Gowrie NSW. Retrieved from
https://www.gowriensw.com.au/thought-leadership/vygotsky-theory
Sherrell, Z. (2024, July 17). Piaget’s stages of cognitive development. Simply Psychology. Retrieved from
https://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html
Cherry, K. (2024, July 12). Sociocultural theory: Understanding Vygotsky’s theory. Verywell well. Retrieved from
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-sociocultural-theory-279508⁷8
 HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT 2: FILIPINO PERSONALITY ANG SOCIAL WORK

MODULE 12: SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT THEORY

DICTIONARY

1 ACCOMODATION Accommodation is a term developed by psychologist Jean Piaget to

describe what occurs when new information or experiences cause you
to modify your existing schemas. Rather than make the new
information fit into an existing schema, you change the schema in
order to accommodate the new information.

2 ADOLESCENCE Adolescence is the phase of life between childhood and adulthood,

from ages 10 to 19. It is a unique stage of human development and an
important time for laying the foundations of good health. Adolescents
experience rapid physical, cognitive and psychosocial growth.

3 ASSIMILATION Assimilation is a cognitive process that manages how we take in new

information and incorporate that new information into our existing
knowledge.

4 ATTENTION The act or faculty of attending especially by directing the mind to an

object.

5 CONCRETE OPERATIONAL In the third, or concrete operational, stage, from age 7 to age 11 or 12,
occurs the beginning of logic in the child's thought processes and the
beginning of the classification of objects by their similarities and
differences.

6 CULTURAL TOOLS Cultural tools include both technical tools such as books, media,
computers, and social software, and psychological tools such as
language, signs, writing, and symbols.

7 EARLY CHILDHOOD Early childhood education, also known as nursery education, is a

branch of education theory that relates to the teaching of children from
birth up to the age of eight. Traditionally, this is up to the equivalent of
third grade.

8 EQUILIBRATION A condition in which opposing forces are equal to one another striving
to achieve an equilibration between the rights of the individual and the
needs of society.

9 FORMAL OPERATIONAL STAGE The formal operational stage is marked by an increase in the ability to
think in abstract terms and develop egocentrism, and also to reason,
argue, and plan. The fourth stage starts around 12 years of age and
continues into adulthood.

10 INFANCY Is the earliest stage of life, spanning from birth to about two years old.
During this time, infants rapidly develop their abilities to think, feel,
and move. They learn how to interact with the people and things
around them, and start to build a foundation for their future growth and
development.

11 MEMORY Memory is the faculty by which the brain encodes, stores, and
retrieves information. It is a record of experience that guides future
 action. Memory encompasses the facts and experiential details that
people consciously call to mind as well as ingrained knowledge that
surface without effort or even awareness.

12 MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE OTHER Anyone with a greater understanding of the task or concept that the
child is trying to complete or learn. Most often, this would be a parent,
caregiver or teacher, but it could also be a peer or mentor.

13 PERCEPTION The act or faculty of apprehending by means of the senses or of the

mind; cognition; understanding.

14 PREOPERATIONAL STAGE This stage occurs from the age of 2 to 7 years. In the preoperational
stage, children use symbols to represent words, images, and ideas,
which is why children in this stage engage in pretend play.

15 PRIVATE SPEECH Private speech as a method of self-regulating behaviour. He also

viewed language as a tool for accelerating understanding. For these
reasons, he suggested that children who engaged in private speech
regularly would be more socially competent than those who did not.

16 SCAFFOLDING Is the breaking down of information or of parts of a new skill into

pieces that are digestible for the learner. He suggested that students
should be educated where they are capable of learning with peer
support, instructional strategies, and regular assessment.

17 SCHEMAS Is an abstract concept proposed by J. Piaget to refer to our, well,

abstract concepts. Schemas (or schemata) are units of understanding
that can be hierarchically categorized as well as webbed into complex
relationships with one another. For example, think of a house.

18 SCHOOL AGE School age child development is a range from 6 to 12 years of age.
During this time period observable differences in height, weight, and
build of children may be prominent. The language skills of children
continue to grow and many behavior changes occur as they try to find
their place among their peers.

19 SENSATION Is defined as the process of the sensory organs transforming physical

energy into neurological impulses the brain interprets as the five
senses of vision, smell, taste, touch, and hearing.

20 SENSORIMOTOR STAGE Is defined as the process of the sensory organs transforming physical
energy into neurological impulses the brain interprets as the five
senses of vision, smell, taste, touch, and hearing.

21 ZONE OF PROXIMAL DEVELOPMENT The Zone of Proximal Development is defined as the space between
what a learner can do without assistance and what a learner can do
with adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers.
 HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 2: FILIPINO PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL WORK

MODULE 12: SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT THEORY

QUIZ

1. This process involves incorporating new information into existing schemas.

A. Assimilation
B. Accommodation
C. Schemas
D. Equilibration
2. It drives the progression through the stages of cognitive development as children encounter and resolve cognitive conflicts.
A. Assimilation
B. Accommodation
C. Schemas
D. Equilibration
3. Is the process of modifying existing schemas or creating new ones when new information doesn't fit into existing schemas.
A. Assimilation
B. Accommodation
C. Schemas
D. Equilibration
4. These are mental frameworks that help individuals organize and interpret information. They are the building blocks of
knowledge.
A. Assimilation
B. Accomodation
C. Schemas
D. Equilibration
5. Children learn logical, concrete (physical) rules about objects, such as height, weight, and volume.
A. Formal Operational Stage
B. Preoperational Stage
C. Sensorimotor Stage
D. Concrete Operational Stage
6. During this stage, children build on object permanence and continue to develop abstract mental processes
A. Formal Operational Stage
B. Preoperational Stage
C. Sensorimotor Stage
D. Concrete Operational Stage
7. Adolescents learn logical rules to understand abstract concepts and solve problems. For example, they may understand the
concept of justice.
A. Formal Operational Stage
B. Preoperational Stage
C. Sensorimotor Stage
D. Concrete Operational Stage
8. It is marked by the child discovering the difference between themselves and their environment.
A. Formal Operational Stage
B. Preoperational Stage
C. Sensorimotor Stage
D. Concrete Operational Stage
9. The media or television are just a handful of all the tools that are available for problem solving and learning. Therefore, children
can utilize the cultural tools to help support their own learning.
A. Cultural Tools
B. Private Speech
C. Scaffolding
D. Schemas
10. This is a process where the MKO provides temporary support to the learner, which is gradually removed as the learner
becomes more competent.
A. Cultural Tools
B. Private Speech
C. Scaffolding
D. Schemas
11. Vygotsky believed that children use language to guide their own actions and thoughts.
A. Cultural tools
B. Private Speech
C. Scaffolding
D. Schemas
12. This refers to someone who has a higher level of understanding or ability than the learner in a particular task or concept.
A. More Knowledgeable Other
B. Zone of Proximal Development
C. Schemas
D. Scaffolding
13. The ZPD can be broken down into three distinct stages in terms of a learner's skillset. In order to improve the ability of the
learner the more knowledgeable person must understand what stage they are in.
A. More Knowledgeable Other
B. Zone of Proximal Development
C. Schemas
D. Sensorimotor Stage
14. Social development can be summarily described as the process of organizing human energies and activities at higher levels to
achieve greater results.
A. Jean Piaget’s Theory
B. Lev Vygotsky’s Theory
C. Vygotsky’s Theory
D. Both A and B
15. Social Development Theory, also known as Sociocultural Theory, emphasizes the fundamental role of social. interaction in the
development of cognition.
A. Theory
B. Vygotsky’s Theory
C. Piaget’s Theory
D. both B and C
 HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 2: FILIPINO PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL WORK

MODULE 12: SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT THEORY

QUIZ

Name: Date:

Course/YearSection: Score:

1. This process involves incorporating new information into existing schemas.

A.Assimilation
B.Accomodation
C..Schemas
D.Equilibration
2. It drives the progression through the stages of cognitive development as children encounter and resolve cognitive conflicts.
A.Assimilation
B.Accomodation
C.Schemas
D.Equilibration
3. Is the process of modifying existing schemas or creating new ones when new information doesn't fit into existing schemas.
A.Assimilation
B.Accomodation
C.Schemas
D.Equilibration
4. These are mental frameworks that help individuals organize and interpret information. They are the building blocks of
knowledge.
A.Assimilation
B.Accomodation
C.Schemas
D.Equilibration
5. Children learn logical, concrete (physical) rules about objects, such as height, weight, and volume.
A.Formal Operational Stage
B.Preoperational Stage
C.Sensorimotor Stage
D.Concrete Operational Stage

6. During this stage, children build on object permanence and continue to develop abstract mental processes
A.Formal Operational Stage
B.Preoperational Stage
C.Sensorimotor Stage
D.Concrete Operational Stage
7. Adolescents learn logical rules to understand abstract concepts and solve problems. For example, they may understand the
concept of justice.
 A.Formal Operational Stage
B.Preoperational Stage
C.Sensorimotor Stage
D.Conrete Operational Stage
8. It is marked by the child discovering the difference between themselves and their environment.
A.Formal Operational Stage
B.Preoperational Stage
C.Sensorimotor Stage
D.Concrete Operational Stage
9. The media or television are just a handful of all the tools that are available for problem solving and learning. Therefore, children
can utilize the cultural tools to help support their own learning.
A.Cultural Tools
B.Private Speech
C.Scaffolding
D.Schemas
10. This is a process where the MKO provides temporary support to the learner, which is gradually removed as the learner
becomes more competent.
A.Cultural Tools
B.Private Speech
C.Scaffolding
D.Schemas
11. Vygotsky believed that children use language to guide their own actions and thoughts.
A.Cultural tools
B.Private Speech
C.Scaffolding
D.Schemas
12. This refers to someone who has a higher level of understanding or ability than the learner in a particular task or concept.
A.More Knowledgeable Other
B.Zone of Proximal Development
C.Schemas
D.Scaffolding

13. The ZPD can be broken down into three distinct stages in terms of a learner's skillset. In order to improve the ability of the
learner the more knowledgeable person must understand what stage they are in.
A.More Knowledgeable Other
B.Zone of Proximal Development
C.Schemas
D.Sensorimotor Stage
14. Social development can be summarily described as the process of organizing human energies and activities at higher levels to
achieve greater results.
A.Jean Piaget’s Theory
B.Lev Vygotsky’s Theory
C.Vygotsky’s Theory
D.Both A and B
 15. Social Development Theory, also known as Sociocultural Theory, emphasizes the fundamental role of social. interaction in the
development of cognition.
A.Theory
B.Vygotsky’s Theory
C.Piaget’s Theory
D.both B and C