Vygotsky’s analysis of the crisis in psychology: Diagnosis, treatment, and relevance

Abstract

The theoretical analysis of the crisis in psychology is one of the most important contributions of Vygotsky, which has yet remained undervalued by the majority of modern scholars. For Vygotsky, the crisis in psychology is not a simple expression of the existence of separate and competitive theories and approaches, but a result of fundamental theoretical and philosophical tensions in the domain of psychology and also the tension between existing psychological theories and rapidly growing practice. Vygotsky attempted, on the basis of a dialectical method, to elaborate a theoretical framework which can explain the meaning of the crisis in psychology and contribute to defining a strategy for its resolution. In this article I will also discuss the relevance of Vygotsky’s analysis for the consideration of some crucial theoretical issues in psychology (integration of psychological knowledge, relationship between academic psychology and professional practice, etc.).