Psychology / Unit 7: Development
7.4 Vygotsky and Kohlberg
Notes
- Lev Vygotsky emphasized social interaction and culture. The zone of proximal development (ZPD) is the gap between what a learner can do alone and what they can do with help. Scaffolding is the support given by a teacher or peer, which is gradually removed.
- Lawrence Kohlberg described moral development in three levels, using dilemmas like the Heinz dilemma:
| Level | Reasoning |
|---|---|
| Preconventional | Avoid punishment or gain rewards |
| Conventional | Follow rules and gain approval |
| Postconventional | Based on principles of justice and rights |
- Example: "I won't cheat because I'd get in trouble" is preconventional; "A good student follows the rules" is conventional.
Practice
A teacher helps a student with a hard math problem, giving hints that become fewer as the student improves. This is:
Scaffolding is temporary support within the zone of proximal development.
Noor says, "I shouldn't steal because I would be punished." According to Kohlberg this is:
Reasoning based on avoiding punishment is preconventional.
The zone of proximal development refers to:
ZPD is the range between independent and assisted ability.
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