ABS403 - Cultural-historical theory of psychological development of L.S. Vygotsky and modern models of social cognition and psychotherapy

The report acknowledges the situation of methodical crisis in modern research of social cognition related to the domination of reductive approaches that ignore the uniqueness of human psyche. The heuristicity of the concepts of cultural-historical theory of psychological development of L. S. Vygotsky, which serves to overcome the apparent inconsistencies, is substantiated. Two models of social cognition based on the principles of cultural-historical psychology are described, those being the model of social cognition within phylogenesis of M. Tomasello, and the model of social cognition within ontogenesis of C. Fernyhough. The current situation in the area of mental health is reviewed from the standpoint of cultural-historical psychology, its specifics reflected in the increased burden on reflexive functions, that is, skills lying within the sphere of social cognition, is substantiated. Modern psychotherapeutic apparatus directed to compensate social cognition deficits due to various psychiatric disorders are reviewed. The assumption that adolescence is a sensitive period for the development of higher forms of social cognition is made, and summaries of researches supporting this assertion are presented. The main contradictions of modern-day maturing are enunciated. To conclude the presented theoretical analysis, a comprehensive multiple-factor model of social cognition is presented based on concepts of cultural-historical theory of L. S. Vygotsky.