UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA

Mingli Chen

Social Development
Theory
SUMMER 2015• SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT THEORY

Outcomes

In this book, I introduce some basic information about social development

theory, such as the introduction of the researcher, whose name is Vygotsky,
and the history and definition of the theory. Also, I provide three main
themes about Vygotsky’s theory and some differences between Vygotsky
and Piaget’s theories. In the end, I describe some examples about using
social development theory in real lives and a few related theories to make
learners have a deeper understanding.

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Catalogue

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
About the Researcher
About the Theory

CHAPTER 2: MAIN PARTS

Three Main Themes in Social Development Theory
Differences and Similarities Between theories

CHAPTER 3: EXAMPLES
Examples
Related Theories
Activities: Discussion Questions

CHAPTER 4: Summary
Summary
Reference

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

About the Researcher:

Lev   Vygotsky   (1896-­‐1934),   a   Soviet   psychologist,   proposed   the  

Social   Development   Theory.   Vygotsky   was   born   in   Western   Russia.  
He  graduated  with  law  degree  at  Moscow  State  University  in  1917.  
After  graduation,  he  began  to  work  at  the  Institute  of  Psychology  in  
the   1920’s   where   he   developed   an   interest   in   the   psychology   of  
education.   During   Vygotsky’s   lifetime,   his   theories   were   disputed  
with  the  Soviet  Union.  In  the  1930s,  his  opinions  were  introduced  in  
the  western  countries,  but  until  the  1970s,  an  increasing  number  of  
people  began  to  pay  attention  to  his  ideas  (Harry,  An  Introduction  to  
Vygotsky).    
 
About Vygotsky’s Theory:

Social  Development  Theory  explained  the  qualitative  changes  of  

society’s  structure  and  framework,  which  can  help  the  society  to  
realize  its  aims  quickly.  Basically,  Vygotsky’s  theory  suggests  that  social  
interaction  is  in  advance  of  development  and  both  the  socialization  
and  social  behavior  will  lead  to  people’s  consciousness  and  cognition  
(Frank,  2013).    
 
 
 

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CHAPTER 2: MAIN PARTS

Three Major Themes:

There  are  three  main  parts  of  Vygotsky’s  theoretical  framework:  Social  
Interaction,  The  More  Knowledgeable  Other,  and  The  Zone  of  Proximal  
Development.  
Social   Interaction   is   an   important   foundation   of   the   cognitive  
development.  As  Vygotsky  states,  “every  function  in  the  child’s  cultural  
development  appears  twice:  first,  on  the  social  level,  and  later,  on  the  
individual  level;  first,  between  people  and  then  inside  the  child”  (Guo-­‐
liang   &   Wu-­‐Yuin,   2013).   He   believes   that   young   children   are   more  
curious  involved  in  learning  and  discovery  by  themselves.  
The  More  Knowledgeable  Other  (MKO)  means  that  people  have  better  
understanding   or   higher   level   than   others.   The   development   of  
cognition  is  exceeded  with  others  rather  than  alone,  which  means  it  will  
occurs  best  when  children  stay  with  more  knowledgeable  people,  such  
as   teachers,   parents,   and   coaches.  For   instance,   when   children   begin   to  
learn   words,   it   is   difficult   for   them   to   memorize   all   the   words   by  
themselves,   but   after   their   parents   telling   them   the   correct   way   to  
learn,   the   children   can   remember   words   much   easier.   This   is   an  
example   of   the   MKO.   Also,   the   MKO   is   related   to   the   definition   of  
intelligence  that  Vygotsky  described.  As  Vygotsky  defines,  intelligence  is  
“the   capacity   to   learn   from   instruction”   (Lev   Vygotsky   Cognitive  

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Development,  2013).  In  his  opinion,  the  knowledge  that  children  learn  
from  social  community  can  influence  their  behavior  and  thinking.    
The   Zone   of   Proximal   Development   (ZPD)   used   to   show   the   distance  
between   children’s   abilities   to   do   a   task   independently   and   their  
abilities  to  finish  a  task  cooperatively.  There  are  two  levels  of  the  ZPD:  
“the   present   level   of   development”   and   “the   potential   level   of  
development”.    “The  present  level  of  development”  shows  what  a  child  
can   do   by   himself/herself   and   “the   potential   level   of   development”  
describes   what   a   child   is   able   to   do   by   working   with   or   helping   from  
other  people  (Lev  Vygotsky  Cognitive  Development,  2013).    

Figure  1,  Self-­‐created  graphic  about  the  ZPD  

The  figure  1,  a  self-­‐created  graphic,  shows  the  meaning  of  the  Zone  of  
Proximal  Development.  It  includes  three  parts,  which  are  about  children  
can   do   a   task   independently,   children   can   do   a   task   with   help,   and  
children  cannot  do  a  task  even  with  help.  The  orange  part  is  the  Zone  of  
Proximal  Development.  
 
 

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Differences and Similarities Between Vygotsky and Piaget’s

Theory:
 
Both   Vygotsky   and   Piaget   believe   that,   young   people   are   actively  
involved  in  learning  and  understanding  knowledge  on  their  own.  They  
prefer  to  discover  something  new  by  themselves.  However,  compared  
with   Piaget’s   opinion   about   “self-­‐initiated   discovery”,   Vygotsky   uses  
more  emphasis  on  the  factors  of  society  to  promote  and  improve  the  
development  of  cognition.  Also,  in  Piaget’s  opinion,  language  depends  
on   thought,   which   means   thought   comes   before   language;   inversely,  
Vygotsky   supports   that   language   plays   an   important   role   in   the  
development   of   cognition.   He   emphasizes   the   use   of   language   and  
states   that   the   internalization   of   language   can   cause   cognitive  
development.   Additionally,   Vygotsky   uses   more   emphasis   on   the  
influence  of  culture  (Saul,  2014).  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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CHAPTER 3: EXAMPLES

Examples:

There  are  many  examples  of  using  social  development  theory  in  our  real  
lives.  For  instance,  in  most  science  classes,  when  teachers  want  to  ask  
students  to  do  some  chemical  experiments,  they  always  do  and  teach  
students  about  how  to  do  them  directly,  and  then  they  will  ask  students  
to   do   the   experiments   by   themselves.   Other   example   of   using   social  
development   theory   is   that   children   and   their   peers   learn   from   each  
other.  Actually,  it  is  very  helpful  and  significant  for  students  to  use  social  
development  theory  in  learning.  For  example,  when  children  have  some  
troubles   in   studying,   they   can   work   with   other   people   and   learn   from  
each  other  actively.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Related Theories:
 
Social   Learning   Theory:   It   means   people   learn   from   others   through  
model  and  imitation.  For  example,  a  social  learning  theorist  may  believe  
that   a   child   eventually   learns   to   use   fork   to   have   meals   because   of  
watching  other  people,  but  from  Vygotsky’s  statement,  he  believes  that  
the   child   had   potential   to   eat,   but   needed   physical   skills   and   other  
knowledgeable  people  to  teach  them  how  to  use  fork  to  have  meals.  
Connectivism:  New  technologies  and  skills  can  be  used  to  learn,  create,  
and   communicate.   It   is   related   to   Vygotsky’s   theory   because   in   social  
development   theory,   children   also   need   skills   and   knowledge   to   learn  
and  create  something  new  by  themselves.  
21st   Century   Skills:  It  asks  students  to  master  many  skills,  such  as  digital  
literacy   and   content   knowledge   to   succeed   both   in   school   and   life.  
Similar   to   the   social   development   theory,   children   also   need   to   get   and  
master  many  skills  from  other  people  who  are  more  knowledgeable  to  
learn  knowledge.  

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CHAPTER 4: SUMMARY

Summary:

In   this   e-­‐book,   I   introduce   some   basic   information   about   social  

development   theory,   which   was   proposed   by   Lev   Vygotsky,   such   as  
history,   definition,   and   information   of   the   researcher.   Also,   I   provide  
three   main   themes   of   this   theory,   which   are   social   interaction,   The  
More   Knowledgeable   Other   (MKO),   and   The   Zone   of   Proximal  
Development   (ZPD).   I   explain   each   of   them   deeply   by   using   detailed  
examples   and   specific   graphics.   Additionally,   I   compare   and   contrast  
Vygotsky  and  Piaget’s  theories  and  state  three  major  parts  about  their  
differences   and   similarities:   language,   influence   of   culture,   factor   of  
society.   Finally,   I   reveal   a   few   specific   examples   about   using   social  
development  theory  in  real  lives  and  some  related  theories.  

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Activities: Discussion Questions

1. Did   you   use   social   development   theory   in   learning   in   your   life  

before?  
2. Provide  your  own  opinions  about  the  three  major  themes  of  social  
development  theory  
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Reference:
Harry,D.(Eds). An introduction to Vygotsky. New York, NY: Routledge.

Vygotskiĭ, L. S. 1., Cole, M., 1938, & ebrary, I. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher
psychological processes. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Social Development Theory [Web Page].(n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/social-development.html

Saul,M.(2007). Lev Vygotsky. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html

Hsu, G., & Hwang, W. (2014). The effect of intrapsychology learning before and after
interpsychology activities with a web-based sharing mechanism. Journal of Educational
Technology & Society, 17(1), 231.

Sarah, M. S. Social Development Theory. Retrieved from https://explorable.com/social-

development-theory

Lev Vygotsky Cognitive Development [Web Page]. (n.d.) (2013). Retrieved from
http://pathtoteaching.com/tag/vygotsky/

Frank, J. S. (2013). Criminal Justice Today: An Introductory Text for the 21st Century. Cram 101
Publishing.

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