[Xmca-l] Re: Leontyev's activities

[Huw Lloyd <huw.softdesigns@gmail.com>]

On 8 August 2013 23:55, mike cole <lchcmike@gmail.com> wrote:

> I am unsure of how the term "operational" snuck into Leontiev discussion.
> Is this a
> word he actually uses?
>

No.  But one needs to translate a conceptual definition of activity when
studying it experimentally.  I think I am using it from Ratner (1997).


>
> I would be looking at ways in which empirical work by people like Engestrom
> and
> Hedegaard (for example) warrant claims concerning the object of activity.
>

Their indexing of development is different, I believe.

Thanks,
Huw


>
> mike
>
> On Thu, Aug 8, 2013 at 1:53 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.
> > >
> > > We shall also, accordingly, limit the concept of object. It is normally
> > > used in a dual sense: in the broadest one as a thing standing in some
> > kind
> > > of relation to other things, i.e. as ‘a thing having existence’; and
> in a
> > > narrower sense – as something withstanding (German /Gegenstand/),
> > resistant
> > > (Latin /objectum/), that to which an act is directed, i.e. as something
> > to
> > > which precisely a living creature relates itself as the /object of its
> > > activity/ – indifferently as outward or inward activity (e. g. /object
> of
> > > nutrition/, /object of labour/, /object of meditation/, etc.). >From
> now
> > on
> > > we shall employ the term /object/ precisely in this narrower, special
> > sense.
> > >
> > > Any activity of an organism is directed to some object or other;
> activity
> > > without an object is impossible. Consideration of activity therefore
> > > requires us to single out and distinguish that which is its real
> object,
> > > i.e. the object of an active relation of the organism.
> > >
> > > All lower filtrable organisms (certain larvae living in water,
> copepods,
> > > all Tunicata, etc.), for example, are capable, as we know, of altering
> > > their activity in connection with a change in the aqueous medium; in
> that
> > > connection it can sometimes be said with confidence that the change in
> > the
> > > organism’s activity is specifically linked with a definite activating
> > > property of the medium, for example with a greater or less
> concentration
> > of
> > > nutrients. Imagine, however, that we have artificially altered the
> > medium,
> > > for example, of a daphnia, by putting it into water that lacks its
> > > nutrient, plankton but contains particles of some neutral inorganic
> > > substance; the daphnia would react to this by a slackening of the
> > movements
> > > that create a flow of water to its ventral slit. Is the observed
> > slackening
> > > of the water flea’s filtering movements a response to the absence of
> > > plankton in the water? Or is it, on the contrary, a response to the
> > > presence in it of unassimilable particles? Or does it, finally, depend
> on
> > > some other moments still, not considered by us? Only by answering these
> > > questions can we decide precisely /what/ property of the medium is the
> > > object of the daphnia’s activity, i.e. with what kind of a relation we
> > are
> > > dealing with here.
> > >
> > > /Thus, the principal ‘unit’ of a vital process is an organism’s
> activity;
> > > the different activities that realise its diverse vital relations with
> > the
> > > surrounding reality are essentially determined by their object; we
> shall
> > > therefore differentiate between separate types of activity according to
> > the
> > > difference in their objects/.
> > >
> > >
> > > Huw Lloyd wrote:
> > >
> > >> Well I am currently looking for specific text on how leont'ev
> > >> operationally
> > >> defines a unit of analysis of activity, I'm sure I'll find details,
> but
> > >> some pointers may help me get there faster.
> > >>
> > >> Thanks,
> > >> Huw
> > >>
> > >> On 7 August 2013 18:57, mike cole <lchcmike@gmail.com> wrote:
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>> Seems we are up and ready for chatting.
> > >>> mike
> > >>>
> > >>> On Wed, Aug 7, 2013 at 10:34 AM, Huw Lloyd <
> huw.softdesigns@gmail.com
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>> wrote:
> > >>>>       testing.
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >
> > > --
> > > ------------------------------**------------------------------**
> > > ------------
> > > *Andy Blunden*
> > > Home Page: http://home.mira.net/~andy/
> > > Book: http://www.brill.nl/concepts
> > > http://marxists.academia.edu/**AndyBlunden<
> > http://marxists.academia.edu/AndyBlunden>
> > >
> > >
> >
>