Activity Theory: Comparative Analysis Of Eastern And Western Approaches

Activity theory (AT) is a branch of psychology that studies internal mental processes in an integrated manner with human behavior. A central concept in AT is “activity,” which refers to a collection of internal (cognitive) and external (behavioral) processes that are guided by a conscious goal (Petrovsky, 1986). AT originated in the former Soviet Union in the 1930s. However, since the early 1980s there has been a growing interest in the study of AT in the West. This is reflected in the rising number of publications on the topic in Western journals and in the formation of an International Association of Activity Theory. In contrast, there has been a decline in AT research in its birthplace-the former Soviet Union. This decline can be attributed in large part to sociopolitical events. Historically, AT incorporates Marxist philosophy, which was promulgated by the socialist government of the Soviet Union. With the fall of the socialist government, the academic community of Eastern Europe has largely abandoned Marxist philosophy. The new generation of Eastern European psychologists have lost interest in AT because of its historical association with Marxism