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Psychological Significance and Difference Between Tools Use by Humans and Animals

P. Y. Galperin's Dissertation

  • Book
  • © 2022

Overview

Authors:
  1. P.Y. Galperin

    1. Kharkiv Institute of Neurology, Psychiatry and Narcology, National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Kharkiv, Ukraine

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  2. Irina Engeness

    1. Faculty of Teacher Education and Languages, Østfold University College, Halden, Norway

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  3. Gethin Thomas

    1. School of Sport and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, UK

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  • Includes the original and so far unpublished text of the dissertation of the late Piotr Galperin
  • Explains the systemic and meaningful organization of human consciousness
  • Presents Galperin’s study on the psychological differences between tool use by humans and auxiliary means by animals

Part of the book series: Cultural Psychology of Education (CPED, volume 16)

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Table of contents (5 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xlvii
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  2. Psychological Difference Between Human and Animal Tools

    • P. Y. Galperin, Irina Engeness, Gethin Thomas
    Pages 1-8

  3. The Empirical Research

    • P. Y. Galperin, Irina Engeness, Gethin Thomas
    Pages 9-34

  4. Manual and Tool Mediated Operations

    • P. Y. Galperin, Irina Engeness, Gethin Thomas
    Pages 35-41

  5. Tool Mediated Operations and the Development of Human Consciousness

    • P. Y. Galperin, Irina Engeness, Gethin Thomas
    Pages 43-59

  6. Human Consciousness as a Reflection of Human Practical Activity

    • P. Y. Galperin, Irina Engeness, Gethin Thomas
    Pages 61-75

  7. Back Matter

    Pages 77-194
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Keywords

About this book

This book represents the very first, so far unpublished, translation of Piotr Galperin’s (1902-1988) dissertation, defended in 1938 during his employment in the All-Ukrainian Psycho-Neurological Academy (AUPA) in Kharkiv, Ukraine. In his candidate dissertation Galperin examined the differences in tool use between humans and animals and argued that there was a fundamental difference between tools developed and used by humans and the auxiliary means used by animals. Galperin showed that human use of tools totally differs from the way tools are utilised by animals as ‘an extension’ of their limbs. He suggested that tools created and used by humans encapsulate cultural and historical experience developed in human practices which have to be mastered. Human engagement with these tools reorganise the existing and enhance the development of new psychological functions and that human consciousness originates and develops in the external tool-mediated activities. The development of new psychological functions stimulates the systemic and meaningful organisation of human consciousness. In addition, as opposed to animal mind, human consciousness undergoes developmental transformations initiated in tools- and speech-mediated activities.


Galperin’s research reveals the unity of the external tool-mediated and the internal psychological activity of humans. These findings are influential as they adopted the foundations of the theory of Vygotsky and extended them without changing the essence of Vygotsky’s legacy. Galperin’s dissertation can be considered as a missing jig-saw puzzle which connects the legacy of Vygotsky, the contribution of Leontiev and their followers who worked in the cultural-historical and activity traditions. This translation of the dissertation in English makes it available for the cultural-historical scholars in the West and provides insights into the invaluable contributions of Piotr Galperin.


Authors and Affiliations

  • Kharkiv Institute of Neurology, Psychiatry and Narcology, National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Kharkiv, Ukraine

    P.Y. Galperin

  • Faculty of Teacher Education and Languages, Østfold University College, Halden, Norway

    Irina Engeness

  • School of Sport and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, UK

    Gethin Thomas

About the authors

Irina Engeness is Professor of Education at Østfold University College, Norway. She has written extensively, and her research include developmental learning and teaching, use of digital technology in education and design of online learning environments to enhance learning and the development of students as learners. Her expertise includes cultural-historical theory and, in particular the contribution of Piotr Galperin. In 2021 she edited the book P.Y. Galperin's Development of Human Mental Activity available in Open Access P.Y. Galperin's Development of Human Mental Activity | SpringerLink


Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Psychological Significance and Difference Between Tools Use by Humans and Animals

  • Book Subtitle: P. Y. Galperin's Dissertation

  • Authors: P.Y. Galperin, Irina Engeness, Gethin Thomas

  • Series Title: Cultural Psychology of Education

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-14929-0

  • Publisher: Springer Cham

  • eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and Psychology, Behavioral Science and Psychology (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-031-14928-3Published: 02 January 2023

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-031-14931-3Published: 03 January 2024

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-031-14929-0Published: 01 January 2023

  • Series ISSN: 2364-6780

  • Series E-ISSN: 2364-6799

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XLVII, 194

  • Number of Illustrations: 98 b/w illustrations, 46 illustrations in colour

  • Topics: Educational Psychology, Pedagogic Psychology, Educational Philosophy, Education, general

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