[Xmca-l] Re: Leontyev's activities

[Martin Packer <mpacker@uniandes.edu.co>]

Huw,

I dont know how literally you're using the term, but the notion of "operational definition" is very much part of theory of science of logical positivism. I don't think you're going to find much of that in Leontyev.

Martin

On Aug 8, 2013, at 4:53 PM, Huw Lloyd <huw.softdesigns@gmail.com> wrote:

> Thanks for these.  They're interesting but I don't think they quite answer
> the question about operational definitions -- i.e. the experimental
> paradigms used to establish and measure the unit.
> 
> On p. 364 Leontiev elaborates on an example with a student, in which he
> states that psychological testing needs to be done in order to find out
> what the current activity is for the subject.
> 
> But this does not really bring any bearing onto "the very complex
> cross-links" (1977) between the individual and society.
> 
> I am guessing that he uses leading activity as the means for setting the
> scope of societal practices for revealing the formation of new motives etc.
> 
> I am partially interested in this for observing how the object is
> demonstrated objectively, and the relation of complex motives (e.g. doing
> work in an ethical way) to notions of a "single basis of development".
> 
> Best,
> Huw
> 
> On 7 August 2013 22:14, Andy Blunden <ablunden@mira.net> wrote:
> 
>> Leontyev says that an activity is defined by its motive.
>> See "The Development of Mind," Leontyev 2009, p. 28-29
>> http://www.erythrospress.com/**store/leontyev.html<http://www.erythrospress.com/store/leontyev.html>
>> 
>> But Leontyev, in my opinion, does not adequately distinguish between "an
>> activity" and "a type of activity," leading to confusion on this point.
>> Plus the fact that the object or motive is given externally to the
>> activity, underming his claim to have created an activity theory, rather
>> than a theory of human needs.
>> 
>> Andy
>> ------------------------------**-
>> 
>> The specific processes that realise some vital, i.e. active, relation of
>> the subject to reality we shall term processes of /activity/, in
>> distinction to other processes.