Mind as Action
Home > Society and Social Sciences > Psychology > Psychological theory, systems, schools and viewpoints > Cognitivism, cognitive theory > Mind as Action
Mind as Action

Mind as Action


     0     
5
4
3
2
1



International Edition


X
About the Book

Wertsch argues against reductionist accounts of human cognition and proposes a sociocultural perspective, which moves beyond the isolated individual. He suggests that "mediated action" and cultural tools shape cognitive processes and can explain how they are organized.

Table of Contents:
1: The Task of Sociocultural Analysis 2: Properties of Mediated Action 3: Narrative as a Cultural Tool for Representing the Past 4: Mediated Action in Social Space 5: Appropriation and Resistance 6: Epilogue References Subject Index Name Index

About the Author :
James V. Wertsch is Professor and Chair of the Department of Education at Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri.

Review :
"For all of us in psychology (cognitive or cultural) and education, it's tempting to avoid hard to understand relationships for example, between subjective agency and objective cultural tools, internalization and appropriation, creativity and conventions. Drawing on literary theorist Kenneth Burke as well as more familiar Bakhtin and Vygotsky, Wertsch shows us why we can't either avoid these issues, or resolve them neatly on one side or the other. With rich examples from teaching and curriculum, he simply won't let us off the hook."--Courtney Cazden, Harvard Graduate School of Education "Jim Wertsch's Mind as Action carries the study of mind in relation to its cultural, institutional, and historical contexts into important new territory. Must reading for anyone interested in sociocultural approaches to human nature."--Mike Cole, Laboratory of Comparative Human Cognition, University of California, La Jolla "For all of us in psychology (cognitive or cultural) and education, it's tempting to avoid hard to understand relationships for example, between subjective agency and objective cultural tools, internalization and appropriation, creativity and conventions. Drawing on literary theorist Kenneth Burke as well as more familiar Bakhtin and Vygotsky, Wertsch shows us why we can't either avoid these issues, or resolve them neatly on one side or the other. With rich examples from teaching and curriculum, he simply won't let us off the hook."--Courtney Cazden, Harvard Graduate School of Education "Jim Wertsch's Mind as Action carries the study of mind in relation to its cultural, institutional, and historical contexts into important new territory. Must reading for anyone interested in sociocultural approaches to human nature."--Mike Cole, Laboratory of Comparative Human Cognition, University of California, La Jolla In this compelling and complex book, psychologist and sociocultural analyst Wertsch finds the linkage in human action, particularly in "mediated action": the relationship between individuals and the cultural tools that mediate their actions...Wertsch argues persuasively that this method of sociocultural analysis can be applied not only to the study of the human mind but to social problems."--Readings "The major task that Wertsch defines for himself in Mind as Action is to examine why psychologists have had such a diminutive voice in discussions regarding major contemporary social and political events. He proceeds to argue that it is the antinomy between individual and society and the associated opposition between mental functioning and sociocultural setting that are impediments to psychology realizing its potential. Wertsch urges that we recognize that these notions, which are typically placed in opposition to one another, are but hypothetical constructs-interpretive tools-that require constant scrutiny to determine their value relative to the limitations. Wertsch further proposes that key to the fruitful conduct of human science is a focus on the dialectical relationship between human agents and their cultural tools. It is in this relationship that one can describe and interpret human action."--Contemporary Psychology "Wertsch (education, Washington U.) asserts that the human sciences are dominated by a focus on the agent, and ignore the importance of mediational means in human action. Drawing on the ideas of Lev Vygotsky, Mikhail Bakhtin, and Kenneth Burke, he traces the implications of mediated action for a sociocultural analysis of the mind. Using a method of analysis that connects the various perspectives of the social sciences in an integrated, nonreductive fashion, he looks at such mediated actions as stereotypes and historical narratives."--Reference & Research Book News


Best Sellers


Product Details
  • ISBN-13: 9780195117530
  • Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc
  • Publisher Imprint: Oxford University Press Inc
  • Height: 241 mm
  • No of Pages: 224
  • Spine Width: 19 mm
  • Width: 165 mm
  • ISBN-10: 0195117530
  • Publisher Date: 12 Feb 1998
  • Binding: Hardback
  • Language: English
  • Returnable: N
  • Weight: 431 gr


Similar Products

Add Photo
Add Photo

Customer Reviews

REVIEWS      0     
Click Here To Be The First to Review this Product
Mind as Action
Oxford University Press Inc -
Mind as Action
Writing guidlines
We want to publish your review, so please:
  • keep your review on the product. Review's that defame author's character will be rejected.
  • Keep your review focused on the product.
  • Avoid writing about customer service. contact us instead if you have issue requiring immediate attention.
  • Refrain from mentioning competitors or the specific price you paid for the product.
  • Do not include any personally identifiable information, such as full names.

Mind as Action

Required fields are marked with *

Review Title*
Review
    Add Photo Add up to 6 photos
    Would you recommend this product to a friend?
    Tag this Book Read more
    Does your review contain spoilers?
    What type of reader best describes you?
    I agree to the terms & conditions
    You may receive emails regarding this submission. Any emails will include the ability to opt-out of future communications.

    CUSTOMER RATINGS AND REVIEWS AND QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS TERMS OF USE

    These Terms of Use govern your conduct associated with the Customer Ratings and Reviews and/or Questions and Answers service offered by Bookswagon (the "CRR Service").


    By submitting any content to Bookswagon, you guarantee that:
    • You are the sole author and owner of the intellectual property rights in the content;
    • All "moral rights" that you may have in such content have been voluntarily waived by you;
    • All content that you post is accurate;
    • You are at least 13 years old;
    • Use of the content you supply does not violate these Terms of Use and will not cause injury to any person or entity.
    You further agree that you may not submit any content:
    • That is known by you to be false, inaccurate or misleading;
    • That infringes any third party's copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret or other proprietary rights or rights of publicity or privacy;
    • That violates any law, statute, ordinance or regulation (including, but not limited to, those governing, consumer protection, unfair competition, anti-discrimination or false advertising);
    • That is, or may reasonably be considered to be, defamatory, libelous, hateful, racially or religiously biased or offensive, unlawfully threatening or unlawfully harassing to any individual, partnership or corporation;
    • For which you were compensated or granted any consideration by any unapproved third party;
    • That includes any information that references other websites, addresses, email addresses, contact information or phone numbers;
    • That contains any computer viruses, worms or other potentially damaging computer programs or files.
    You agree to indemnify and hold Bookswagon (and its officers, directors, agents, subsidiaries, joint ventures, employees and third-party service providers, including but not limited to Bazaarvoice, Inc.), harmless from all claims, demands, and damages (actual and consequential) of every kind and nature, known and unknown including reasonable attorneys' fees, arising out of a breach of your representations and warranties set forth above, or your violation of any law or the rights of a third party.


    For any content that you submit, you grant Bookswagon a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, transferable right and license to use, copy, modify, delete in its entirety, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from and/or sell, transfer, and/or distribute such content and/or incorporate such content into any form, medium or technology throughout the world without compensation to you. Additionally,  Bookswagon may transfer or share any personal information that you submit with its third-party service providers, including but not limited to Bazaarvoice, Inc. in accordance with  Privacy Policy


    All content that you submit may be used at Bookswagon's sole discretion. Bookswagon reserves the right to change, condense, withhold publication, remove or delete any content on Bookswagon's website that Bookswagon deems, in its sole discretion, to violate the content guidelines or any other provision of these Terms of Use.  Bookswagon does not guarantee that you will have any recourse through Bookswagon to edit or delete any content you have submitted. Ratings and written comments are generally posted within two to four business days. However, Bookswagon reserves the right to remove or to refuse to post any submission to the extent authorized by law. You acknowledge that you, not Bookswagon, are responsible for the contents of your submission. None of the content that you submit shall be subject to any obligation of confidence on the part of Bookswagon, its agents, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners or third party service providers (including but not limited to Bazaarvoice, Inc.)and their respective directors, officers and employees.

    Accept

    Fresh on the Shelf


    Inspired by your browsing history


    Your review has been submitted!

    You've already reviewed this product!