The activity approach in psychology or the theory of activity is a relatively newly established psychological school (1920-1930). It is a completely new approach to the study of the human psyche . It is based on a category called "Subject Activity".
The essence of the activity approach in psychology
The theorists of the activity approach view activity as one of the types of active human existence, which, first of all, is aimed at creative transformation, cognition of the surrounding reality. Thus, it is considered that the following characteristics are inherent in the activity:
- From birth, a person has no activity, it develops throughout the entire period of his upbringing , as well as training.
- Carrying out any activity of the individual manages to go beyond the limits that limit her consciousness, create both spiritual and material values, which, accordingly, contributes to historical development and progress.
- The activity satisfies both natural needs, and cultural, the thirst for knowledge, etc.
- It has a productive character. So, resorting to it, the person creates all new and new ways, helping to satisfy his needs.
In the theory of activity, it is commonly believed that consciousness is inseparably linked with human activity. It is the latter that determines the first, but not vice versa. So, the psychologist M. Basov suggested exactly the behavior, the consciousness included in its structure. In his opinion, activity is a set of mechanisms, separate acts that are inextricably linked through a task. The main problem of this approach Basov saw both the formation and development of activities.
Principles of the activity approach in psychology
S. Rubinshtein, one of the founders of the Soviet school of the activity approach, relying on the philosophical theory of Marx and Vygotsky's writings, formulated the main basic principle of this theory. It says that only in the activity, both the consciousness of a person and his psyche are born and formed and they are manifested in the activity. In other words, there is no sense in analyzing, considering the psyche in isolation. Rubinshtein considered erroneous in the teachings of behaviorists (who also studied the activity) that they put forward a biologized approach to it.
The activity approach in the psychology of personality
Supporters of this approach argue that the personality of each person is displayed in the objective activity, that is, in his attitude to the world. Throughout his life, a person takes part in various activities. This is due to the social relations with which it is connected through life circumstances. Some of them become decisive in his life. This is the personal core of everyone.
Thus, according to A. Leontiev, in psychology, in the personality-activity approach, the structure of the individual are:
- human relations with the world, which are created by the correlation of its internal motives and activities;
- various connections that are realized through a combination of activities.
System-activity approach in psychology
It is the basis of standards, the totality of general scientific forms of research, principles. Its essence lies in the fact that an analysis of the system's human qualities should be carried out, based on those conditions, the framework of the system in which it is at the time of the study. This approach considers the identity of each as a constituent element of three different systems:
- systems of biological species;
- system of society;
- in the system-historical plan.