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Activity theory (AT) is a Soviet psychological meta-theory, paradigm, or framework, with its roots in socio-cultural approach. Its founders were Alexei Nikolaevich Leont'ev, and Sergei Rubinshtein (1889-1960). It became one of the major psychological approaches in the former USSR, being widely used in both theoretical and applied psychology, in areas such as the education, training, ergonomics, and work psychology.
The history of activity theory
The origins of activity theory can be traced to several sources, which have subsequently given rise to various complementary and intertwined strands of development. This account will focus on two of the most important of these strands. The first is associated with the Moscow Institute of Psychology and in particular the troika of young and gifted researchers, Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky (1896–1934), Alexander Romanovich Luria (1902–77) and Alexei Nikolaevich Leont'ev (1903–79). Vygotsky founded cultural-historical psychology, an important strand in the activity approach; Leont’ev, one of the principal founders of activity theory, both continued, and reacted against, Vygotsky's work. Leont'ev's formulation of general activity theory is currently the most influential in post-Soviet developments in AT, which have largely been in social-scientific and organizational, rather than psychological research.
The second major line of development within AT involves scientists, such as P. K. Anokhin (1898-1974) and N. A. Bernshtein (1896-1966), more directly concerned with the neurophysiological basis of activity; its foundation is associated with the Soviet philosopher of psychology S. L. Rubinshtein (1889-1960). This work was subsequently developed by researchers such as Pushkin, Zinchenko & Gordeeva, Ponomarenko, Zarakovsky and others, as is currently most well-known through the work on systemic-structural activity theory being carried out by G. Z. Bedny and his associates.
More on [ Activity theory ]
is it wrong that every time i read anything about activity theory, i think, "ok. people use tools to do things"?
bonniekyburz (bonnie lenore kyburz) Fri, 11 Dec 2009 05:22:10 -0000
is it wrong that every time i read anything about activity theory, i think, "ok. people use tools to do things"?
@mantia aquiring said chips requires an output of physical activity in the cold that - christ I have been watching too much Big Bang Theory
verybigjen (Jen Segrest) Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:42:08 -0000
@mantia aquiring said chips requires an output of physical activity in the cold that - christ I have been watching too much Big Bang Theory
Reading daniels et al - activity theory in practice. All chapters try to adapt activity theory for knowledge work.
spinuzzi (Clay Spinuzzi) Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:07:57 -0000
Reading daniels et al - activity theory in practice. All chapters try to adapt activity theory for knowledge work.
Interesting article on #global #warming. The theory of the sun's geothermal activity http://bit.ly/6qIO73
landonh5 (Landon Horton) Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:09:39 -0000
Interesting article on #global #warming. The theory of the sun's geothermal activity http://bit.ly/6qIO73
Just finished reading sannino et al - learning and expanding with activity theory. Starting daniels et al - activity theory in practice.
spinuzzi (Clay Spinuzzi) Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:53:47 -0000
Just finished reading sannino et al - learning and expanding with activity theory. Starting daniels et al - activity theory in practice.
@janagyjr Yes, but if you review chaos theory you will understand how this equilibrium can be disturbed by human activity.
GreeGreece (Tony Thomas) Wed, 09 Dec 2009 04:39:23 -0000
@janagyjr Yes, but if you review chaos theory you will understand how this equilibrium can be disturbed by human activity.
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Activity Theory Research - This is a new Centre established in 2000 with the express intention of developing the research field through a multidisciplinary forum. We wish to contribute to and benefit from the community of practitioners and researchers working within the area.
Activity theory - Work of Vygotsky and many others towards understanding human activity in terms of social, historical, cultural, and individual development; includes definitions, readings, links to conferences
Activity Theory Special Issue - A special issue of the Journal of Computer-supported Collaborative Work on activity theory and design, guest edited by David Redmiles and me, will appear in December 2001.
Activity Theory, an Introduction - Activity Theory originated in the USSR, developed by Russian psychologists Vygotsky, Rubinshtein, Leontjev and Lurija. The theory is a philosophical framework that allows the study of different forms of human practice. The practice can be viewed as developmental processes where both individual and social levels are interlinked.
Activity Theory: Basic Concepts and Applications - Introduces activity theory, a conceptual approach that provides a broad framework for describing the structure, development, and context of computer-supported activities.
Center for Activity Theory and Developmental Work Research - We coordinate and carry out research and development projects on change and learning in work organizations. We create and apply new conceptual tools for understanding and mastering transformations in work, technology and organizations.
International Society for Cultural and Activity Research (ISCAR) - Information about this group including membership, publications, congresses, society business, and relations to Society for Sociocultural Research.
Meta Description: [ Information about International Society for Cultural and Activity Research including membership, publications, congresses, society business. ]
International Society for Cultural Research and Activity Theory - International association for researchers and practitioners committed to a cultural-historical approach of human development.
Mervi Hasu: Critical transition from developers to users - Mervi Hasu's doctoral dissertation - Helsinki University. Activity-Theoretical Studies of Interaction and Learning in the Innovation Process. March 2001.
Spinning Webs of Significance - Martin Ryder's paper looks at activity systems from the perspective of the World Wide Web and Web publishing. It discusses notions of value surrounding web artifacts and considers the mediational value to the developer of anonymous communities that appropriate one's own online artifacts. The author investigates the significance of referring links from one web document to another, particularly from the socio-cultural perspective of Activity Theory.
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