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Various theoretical models in psychology and the social sciences have emphasized the social foundation of the mind and the role that social interactions play in cognitive functioning and its development. In this volume the metaphor used to capture this is interactive minds - a term chosen because it emphasizes social transaction and communication between minds without implying particular mechanisms or outcomes. For instance, we include in our conceptualization of interactive minds both internal and external forms of interaction with others. In addition, we emphasize that not all products of interacting minds are positive. Besides focusing on the social foundation of cognition, Interactive Minds takes a life-span perspective, which is especially suitable for understanding interactive dynamics of behavior and human development. Each of the authors deals with a different topic and each presents a clear analysis of the basic dimensions of the problem. Among the issues addressed are biological-evolutionary aspects of cooperation, the role of social interaction in learning, the conceptualization of linguistic knowledge, peer problem solving, the psychological study of wisdom, gender dynamics, collaborative memory in adults and the elderly, cooperative construction of expert knowledge, and communities of practice in university study.
List of contents
Part I. General Theoretical Framework: 1. The evolution of cooperation: within and between generations Peter Hammerstein; 2. Interacting minds in a lifespan perspective: a cultural-historical approach to culture and cognitive development Michael Cole; 3. Essentially Social: on the origin of linguistic knowledge in the individual Wolfgang Klein; 4. Knowledge and the construction of women's development Gisela Labouvie-Vief; Part II. Interactive Minds: 5. Peer interactive minds: development, theoretical, and methodological issues Margarita Azmitia; 6. Collaborative rules: how are people supposed to work with one another Jacqueline Goodnow; 7. The lifelong transformation of moral goals through social influence Damon William; 8. Adults Telling and retelling stories collaboratively Roger A. Dixon; 9. Planning about life: towards a social-interactive paradigm Jacqui Smith; 10. Wisdom and the social-interactive foundation of the mind Ursula Staudinger; Part III. Interactive Minds: Perspecxtives from Cognitive and Educational Psychology: 11. Rationality: Why Social Context Matters Gerd Gigerenzer; 12. Styles of thinking Robert J. Sternberg; 13. Cooperative construction of expert knowledge: the case of knowledge engineering Gerhard Strube; 14. Communities of practice towards expertise: social foundation of university instruction Heinz Mandl; Epilogue: reflections and future perspectives; 15. Cognitive pychology Peter Graf; 16. Developmental psychology Laura Carstensen; 17. Educational psychology Franz Weinert; 18. Cognitive and cultural anthropology Richard Shweder.
Summary
Interactive Minds studies cognition and cognitive development in the social context of the life course. Borrowing from the fields of educational, cognitive, and developmental psychology, it uses both research and theory to address such topics as moral goals, culture, cooperation, and linguistics.
