I would like to know how sociohistorical theories
(in particular, activity theory) explain the process
by which activities come into being, for an individual
person, and for a community. As a graduate student, I
have been struggling to understand this dynamic.
As I understand it, activities come into being through
goal-directed actions (an individual's direct engagement
with an environment) and through co-participation. In
discussing the distinction between actions and activity,
Leont'ev (1981a) relates activities to motives,
and actions to goals. However, it is not clear for me
how the goal-directed actions are interconnected (or
transformed) into activities.
I am currently reading Leont'ev (1981b) and Wertsch (1998).
Any comments or additional references would be appreciated.
Thanks
JeongSuk Pang
Louisiana State University
jpang who-is-at unix1.sncc.lsu.edu
References
Leont'ev, A. N. (1981a). The problem of activity in psychology. In J. V.
Wertsch (Ed.), _The concept of activity in soviet psychology_. Armonk, NY:
M.E.Sharpe.
Leont'ev, A. N. (1981b). _Problems of the development of mind_. Moscow:
Progress Publishers.
Wertsch, J. V. (1998). _Mind as action_.