Social situation of development as a factor of overcoming the dichotomy «personality-environment»

Abstract

Theoretical approaches to definition of the role of social environment in mental development are presented in the article. Contextualism as a form of transition to system analysis of process of development in ontogenesis is discussed. Based on the theory of psychological age (L.S.Vygotsky), the structure of the social situation of development is presented, the dynamic unity of the objective and internal position of the developing subject and his/her activity is shown. The mechanism of developing effect of a zone of proximal development is specified.