Abstract
The present chapter centers on the mechanism of externalization of psychological functions according to the cultural-historical tradition. It builds on Vygotsky’s observation that for some psychological functions, the external sign is the final stage of development. The exploration conducted points to a leading role of externalization in determining crucial dimensions of intellect—especially regarding the use of tools. Key insights from cases of mathematics are drawn to conclude that externalization does not only allow the development of psychological functions into adulthood but also enables higher forms of functioning that would otherwise not be possible to achieve. From this discovery, a model of integrated networks for human phenomena is presented in order to make a contribution to the research branches that currently address the interactive nature of human experience: embodied cognition and the extended mind. While further research into the subject is still needed, a strong correspondence was found between the framework for embodied cognition and Vygotsky’s perspective on higher psychological functions. Additionally, the cultural-historical notion of thought completion appears to play a fundamental role in the assessment of the extended mind for the function of language. Ultimately, it is concluded that the hypothesis behind this theory is yet to find solid evidence to support its claims.
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González, N. (2021). Thinking Outside the Box: Externalization of Psychological Functions and the Extended Mind. In: Fossa, P. (eds) Latin American Advances in Subjectivity and Development. Latin American Voices. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-72953-0_9
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