Toward a better understanding of Vygotsky's process of internalization: Its role in the development of the concept of friendship

Abstract

The role of Vygotsky's concept of internalization is delineated with regard to the development of the concept of friendship. Two studies were reviewed; Corsaro's ( Friendship and peer culture in the early years, Norwood, NJ: Ablex, 1985) research on nursery school children's peer culture, and Rizzo's ( Friendship development among children in school, Norwood, NJ: Ablex, in press) work on friendship development among 1st-grade children. We found the process of internalization becomes increasingly complex as development proceeds. Initially and throughout development, changes in the social-ecological demands created changes in children's practical activities and ultimately development in their social knowledge and skills. In addition, however, we noted that 1st-grade children appeared to have an internalized concept of friendship which served multiple functions in peer relations. In each case, the children's actions suggested that they were not always willing to adjust their concepts to accommodate their friends' or playmates' behaviors. The end result was often conflict at the interpersonal level and intrapersonal evaluation. In line with these observations, we stressed the short-term, cyclical nature of movement from external to internal processes in the development of social knowledge and the active role children play in creating the conflict and changes in their practical activities leading to further development. Finally, we reviewed recent work on children's reflective concepts of friendship and noted that young children's reflective understanding of friendship appears to lag behind their everyday experiences with friendship. In line with Vygotsky, we postulated that as the children become more reflective in their everyday lives the complex concepts which they currently enact in their interactions with friends will gain in significance for them and that further development of the concept of friendship will involve internalization and cognitive reflection synergistically.