L.S. Vygotsky on Giftedness as “A Higher Order Formation”

<p>The author explores the concept of giftedness as presented in the published scientific manuscripts of L.S. Vygotsky and in the newly released psychological dictionary co-authored by him. This article emphasizes the importance of utilizing these archival sources for contemporary research on the issue of giftedness. Through a theoretical analysis, it highlights key ideas regarding the understanding of giftedness from the perspective of cultural-historical psychology: the necessity of distinguishing between individual psychological functions and giftedness; the notion of giftedness as a “formation of the higher order”, not reducible to the level of a separate function; the systems approach to studying giftedness; the role of the concept of development in elucidating the phenomenon of giftedness. The article also demonstrates the potential of L.S. Vygotsky for advancing research on research and enhancing practices</p>