Psychological Tools

by Alex Kozulin

The concept of "psychological tools" is a cornerstone of L.S. Vygotsky's sociocultural theory of cognitive development. Psychological tools are the symbolic cultural artifacts - signs, symbols, texts, formulae, and most fundamentally, language - that enable us to master psychological functions like memory, perception, and attention in ways appropriate to our cultures. In this lucid book, Alex Kozulin argues that the concept offers a useful way to analyze cross-cultural differences in thought and to develop practical strategies for educating immigrant children from widely different cultures.