The Origins of Action : Interdisciplinary and International Perspectives

"The Proliferation of Action Theories and Their Applications Jaan Valsiner and Louis Oppenheimer Our contemporary psychology becomes satiated by references to "action" and "activity." Over the recent decade numerous theoretical perspectives have appeared. all of which operate with the notion of "action" (Ajzen. 1985; Eckensberger & Silbereisen. 1980; Keller & Reuss. 1984; Lantermann. 1980). each of which define it (see Oppenheimer. Chapter 1 of this volume). Likewise. the empirical literature in child psychology is filled with "action-theoretic" notions--facilitated by the ease of seeing children acting within their environments at a pace that surpasses that of even the most hyperactive adult! Of course. the empirical discourse in contemporary psychology is highly limited by its empiricistic emphasis. which dissociates empirical work from theoretically elaborate reasoning. At times. one can find in the literature an "anything goes" attitude--as long as the "umbrella" (theoretical) notion under which the given empirical study looks consensually respectable. the theoretical needs of "research" are satisfied. and psychologists can continue to accumulate "data" in their pursuit of "normal science." The latter attitude to theory. of course, is but a convenient illusion. For any serious hope for progress in any discipline, the conceptual sphere must be explicitly developed further together with the empirical efforts. This sentiment led us to organize a symposium at the conference of the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1987. The presentations at that symposium gave us the idea of editing a book on the origins of action"--Font no determinada The emergence of the action theory perspective within European developmental psychology was the result of a growing dissatisfaction during the mid seventies with existing theories and theoretical constructs concerning social (cognitive) and moral development. Since that time, a number of arguments have been brought out to justify a shift from prevailing theoretical constructs to a new theory and/or paradigm based on the representation of man as an active and acting organism. This book addresses a variety of questions raised by developmental psychologists around the concept of action. Its aim is to integrate, theoretical aspects from several disciplines with the reality of psychological phenomena; to trace the history of action-theory ideas and discuss their applications; and to discuss current conceptions of devel- opmental psychology as a scientific discipline over the last century. Front Matter....Pages i-xv The Concept of Action: A Historical Perspective....Pages 1-35 Determinants of Action: An Organismic and Holistic Approach....Pages 37-63 Self-object Relation as a Basis of Human Development....Pages 65-100 The Role of Internalization in the Transfer of Mnemonic Strategies....Pages 101-131 The Significance and Function of Students’ Goals 1 ....Pages 133-157 Interests and their Structural Development: Theoretical Reflections....Pages 159-173 Interest Development as Structural Change in Person-Object Relationships 1 ....Pages 175-204 Continuity in Young Children’s Actions: A Consideration of Interest and Temperament....Pages 205-238 Chapter 9 Interests and Their Structural Development: A Qualitative Content Analysis....Pages 239-260 Back Matter....Pages 261-265