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The Dominant as a Model of Chronogenic Change: The Relevance of A. A. Ukhtomsky’s and L. S. Vygotsky’s Traditions for Systemic Cognitive Studies

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Centrality of History for Theory Construction in Psychology

Part of the book series: Annals of Theoretical Psychology ((AOTP,volume 14))

Abstract

This paper analyses the role of A. A. Ukhtomsky’s principle of the dominant in L. S. Vygotsky’s psychological theory, as well as the relevance of their research traditions in the context of current cognitive research, particularly on the dual process models of mind and embodied cognition. It is proposed that the dominant principle – founded by A. A. Ukhtomsky, and elaborated by L. S. Vygotsky and colleagues, enables to analyze functional reorganizations of cognitive activity on the behavioral time-scale, thereby further specifying the chronogenic principle of systemic dynamic localization of higher psychological processes during ontogenesis. It’s shown how the dominant serves as a model of historical (developmental) explanation bridging psychology and physiology, and has the potential to advance shifts in current research directions.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Interestingly, in a recent historical overview of dual process theories (Frankish & Evans, 2009), the name of Vygotsky is mentioned in connection with his studies on egocentric speech; and it is referenced in the same context in a recent compendium of dual process accounts of the social mind (Sherman et al., 2014). The cultural historical approach as such is not mentioned in either case. We highlight this less as a historical omission and more with respect to the fundamental theory and methodology of related research (cf. Veresov, 2010).

  2. 2.

    There is evidence to suggest, for example, that certain brain regions (such as the MPFC, medial prefrontal cortex—Fig. 7.1) may perform symbolic functions unique to human social cognition, but these functions can to some extent be slowly learned by the X-system structures over time (Satpute & Lieberman, 2006). Such localizational changes have profound neuropsychological implications, as shown particularly in the Luria-Vygotsky paradigm (Vygotsky, 1997a, pp. 139–144; Luria et al., 1973; Simernizkaya 1985; Toomela, 2014; Akhutina & Pylaeva, 2011).

  3. 3.

    It can be noted here that in the English version of this paper, a translation mistake has been made by instead stating that their formation “begins to enter the sphere of the direct influence of the subcortical dominants at this period” (see Vygotsky, 1998, p. 222), thus effectively reversing the meaning of the original sentence.

Abbreviations

AG:

Activation gradient

CAP:

Cortical activation pattern

EMA:

Eye movement activity

FMA:

Focus of maximum activity

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Acknowledgments

The preparation of this work was supported by Charles University Grant Agency grant no. 926916.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

    Andres Kurismaa & Lucia P. Pavlova

  2. St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia

    Andres Kurismaa & Lucia P. Pavlova

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  1. Andres Kurismaa
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  2. Lucia P. Pavlova
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Correspondence to Andres Kurismaa .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

    Sven Hroar Klempe

  2. Institute of Philosophy, Moscow, Russia

    Roger Smith

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Kurismaa, A., Pavlova, L.P. (2016). The Dominant as a Model of Chronogenic Change: The Relevance of A. A. Ukhtomsky’s and L. S. Vygotsky’s Traditions for Systemic Cognitive Studies. In: Klempe, S., Smith, R. (eds) Centrality of History for Theory Construction in Psychology . Annals of Theoretical Psychology, vol 14. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42760-7_7

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