Toward the Problem of Reconciling Lev Vygotskii’s Cultural Historical Psychology with Aleksei Leont’ev’s Activity Theory

ABSTRACT

The article considers the problem of the relationship between Lev Vygotskii’s cultural historical theory and Aleksei Leont’ev’s activity theory. Starting from the idea that one scholar is considered the successor of the other, the author analyzes the crux of the fundamental differences in the approaches of the two outstanding psychologists. The author draws on materials from scientific publications by Lev Vygotskii and Aleksei Leont’ev, including those that are not as widely known to the psychological community, as well as the facts from their academic biographies.

Of central concern is the problem of how to interpret the tool and the sign, since Vygotskii and Leont’ev have offered competing explanations. This problem can be resolved if they are considered in light of the paradigm of joint activity. This is where the subject (child) learns modes of activity within a certain system of relations with other participants in the activity (adults). The main mechanism that the subject relies upon to develop is the method they learn to resolve these contradictions that arise in the course of such a joint activity and result from the changing modes of activity and the transforming system of relations. Thus, objective activity and communication, which condition each other, can be best understood in light of the solution to the problems of joint activity, which allows us to talk about opportunities for reconciling Vygotskii’s cultural-historical theory with Leont’ev’s activity theory.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

¹ Quoting the poet Nikolai Gumilev, Vygotskii noted: “And like bees in an abandoned hive, dead words have a revolting stench” (Vygotskii 1982, vol. 2, p. 360).