Aleksey Leontyev
Encyclopedia
Alexei Nikolaevich Leont'ev (1903–1979), Soviet developmental psychologist
, the founder of activity theory
.
and Alexander Luria (1902–1977)
from 1924 to 1930, collaborating on the development of a Marxist psychology as a response to behaviourism and the focus on the stimulus-response mechanism as explanation for human behaviour. Leont'ev left Vygotsky's group in Moscow
in 1931, to take up a position in Kharkov. He continued to work with Vygotsky for some time but, eventually, there was a split, although they continued to communicate with one another on scientific matters (Veer and Valsiner, 1991). Leont'ev returned to Moscow in 1934. Later, he became the Head of the Psychology Department at the Faculty of Philosophy of Moscow State University
. In 1966, Leont'ev became the first ever Dean of the newly established Faculty of Psychology
at the Moscow State University, where he worked until his death in 1979. He died of a heart attack.
Leont'ev's own research school is based on the thorough psychological analysis of the phenomenon of activity. Systematic development of the psychological foundations of activity theory
was started in the 1930-s by Kharkov group
of psychologists headed by Leont'ev and included such researchers as Zaporozhets
, Gal'perin, Zinchenko
, Bozhovich, Asnin
, Lukov, etc. In its fullest form, activity theory was subsequently developed and institutionalized as the leading psychological doctrine in the Soviet Union in the post-war period after Leont'ev had moved to Moscow and took a position at the Moscow State University
.
For Leont'ev, ‘activity’ consisted of those processes "that realise a person’s actual life in the objective world by which he is surrounded, his social being in all the richness and variety of its forms" (Leont’ev 1977). The core of the Leont'ev's work is the proposal that we can examine human processes from the perspective of three different levels of analysis. The highest, most general level is that of activity and motives that drive it. At the intermediate level are actions and their associated goals, and the lowest level is the analysis of operations that serve as means for the achievement of the higher-order goals.
In Russian
In Russian
Developmental psychology
Developmental psychology, also known as human development, is the scientific study of systematic psychological changes, emotional changes, and perception changes that occur in human beings over the course of their life span. Originally concerned with infants and children, the field has expanded to...
, the founder of activity theory
Activity theory
Activity theory is a psychological meta-theory, paradigm, or theoretical framework, with its roots in Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky's cultural-historical psychology. Its founders were Alexei N...
.
Biography
A.N. Leont'ev worked with Lev Vygotsky (1896–1934)Lev Vygotsky
Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky was a Soviet psychologist, the founder of cultural-historical psychology, and the leader of the Vygotsky Circle.-Biography:...
and Alexander Luria (1902–1977)
Alexander Luria
Alexander Romanovich Luria was a famous Soviet neuropsychologist and developmental psychologist. He was one of the founders of neuropsychology and the jointly led the Vygotsky Circle.- Biography :...
from 1924 to 1930, collaborating on the development of a Marxist psychology as a response to behaviourism and the focus on the stimulus-response mechanism as explanation for human behaviour. Leont'ev left Vygotsky's group in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
in 1931, to take up a position in Kharkov. He continued to work with Vygotsky for some time but, eventually, there was a split, although they continued to communicate with one another on scientific matters (Veer and Valsiner, 1991). Leont'ev returned to Moscow in 1934. Later, he became the Head of the Psychology Department at the Faculty of Philosophy of Moscow State University
Moscow State University
Lomonosov Moscow State University , previously known as Lomonosov University or MSU , is the largest university in Russia. Founded in 1755, it also claims to be one of the oldest university in Russia and to have the tallest educational building in the world. Its current rector is Viktor Sadovnichiy...
. In 1966, Leont'ev became the first ever Dean of the newly established Faculty of Psychology
MSU Department of Psychology
MSU Faculty of Psychology is a faculty of the Moscow State University, which was established in 1966 and headed by Aleksey Leontyev until his death in 1979....
at the Moscow State University, where he worked until his death in 1979. He died of a heart attack.
Scientific work
Leont'ev's early scientific work was done in the framework of Vygotsky's cultural-historical research program and focused on the exploration of the phenomenon of cultural mediation. Representative of this period is Leontiev's study on mediated memory in children and adults The development of higher forms of memory, 1931.Leont'ev's own research school is based on the thorough psychological analysis of the phenomenon of activity. Systematic development of the psychological foundations of activity theory
Activity theory
Activity theory is a psychological meta-theory, paradigm, or theoretical framework, with its roots in Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky's cultural-historical psychology. Its founders were Alexei N...
was started in the 1930-s by Kharkov group
Kharkov School of Psychology
Kharkiv School of Psychology is a tradition of developmental psychological research conducted in the paradigm of Lev Vygotsky's "sociocultural theory of mind" and Leontiev's psychological activity theory....
of psychologists headed by Leont'ev and included such researchers as Zaporozhets
Alexander Zaporozhets
Alexander Vladimirovich Zaporozhets was a Soviet developmental psychologist, a student of Lev Vygotsky and Alexei Leontiev.Zaporozhets studied psychological mechanisms of voluntary movements, perception and action, as well as the development of thought in children. One of the major representatives...
, Gal'perin, Zinchenko
Pyotr Zinchenko
Pyotr Ivanovich Zinchenko was a Soviet developmental psychologist, a student of Lev Vygotsky and Alexei Leontiev and one of the major representatives of the Kharkov School of Psychology...
, Bozhovich, Asnin
Vladimir Asnin
Vladimir Ilyich Asnin , Soviet developmental psychologist, a representative of Kharkov School of Psychology, head of the Department of psychology at the Kharkov State pedagogical institute in 1944—1950....
, Lukov, etc. In its fullest form, activity theory was subsequently developed and institutionalized as the leading psychological doctrine in the Soviet Union in the post-war period after Leont'ev had moved to Moscow and took a position at the Moscow State University
Moscow State University
Lomonosov Moscow State University , previously known as Lomonosov University or MSU , is the largest university in Russia. Founded in 1755, it also claims to be one of the oldest university in Russia and to have the tallest educational building in the world. Its current rector is Viktor Sadovnichiy...
.
For Leont'ev, ‘activity’ consisted of those processes "that realise a person’s actual life in the objective world by which he is surrounded, his social being in all the richness and variety of its forms" (Leont’ev 1977). The core of the Leont'ev's work is the proposal that we can examine human processes from the perspective of three different levels of analysis. The highest, most general level is that of activity and motives that drive it. At the intermediate level are actions and their associated goals, and the lowest level is the analysis of operations that serve as means for the achievement of the higher-order goals.
Leont'ev's texts online
In English- Problems of the Development of the Mind, 1959 (1st ed.), 1965 (2nd ed.), 1972 (3rd ed.), 1981 (4th ed.); translated in English in 1981:
- The problem of the origin of sensation (pp. 7-53). In Problems of the Development of the Mind. (Trans. M. Kopylova) Moscow: Progress Publishers
- An outline of the evolution of the psyche (pp. 156-326). Problems of the Development of the Mind. (Trans. M. Kopylova) Moscow: Progress Publishers.
- Alexei Leont'ev archive @ marxists.org.uk:
In Russian
- Леонтьев А.Н. (1947). Психологические вопросы сознательности учения
- Леонтьев А.Н. (1977). Деятельность. Сознание. Личность (idem)
- Леонтьев А.Н. (2000). Лекции по общей психологии
- Леонтьев А. Н. (1978). Воля
- Леонтьев А. Н. (1986). Проблема деятельности в истории советской психологии
External links
In English- Wertsch, J. V. The Concept of Activity in Soviet Psychology. Sharpe, 1981.
- Veer, R.v.D. and Valsiner, J. Understanding Vygotsky: a quest for synthesis. Oxford: Blackwell, 1991.
- Leontiev, A. A. The Life and Creative Path of A.N. Leontiev. Journal of Russian & East European Psychology, May/Jun2005, Vol. 43 Issue 3, p8-69,
- Leontiev, A.N., The Development of Mind, a reproduction of the Progress Publishers 1981 edition, plus “Activity and Consciousness,” originally published by Progress Publishers, 1977, published by Erythrospress, see Erythrospress.com
- Yasnitsky, A. (2011). Vygotsky Circle as a Personal Network of Scholars: Restoring Connections Between People and Ideas. Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science, DOI: 10.1007/s12124-011-9168-5 pdf
In Russian
- Short bio @ the Department of Psychology, Moscow State University
- Bio @ psy.1september.ru
- Леонтьев А.А. Жизненный и творческий путь А.Н.Леонтьева