Vygotsky and Luria as founders of qualitative evaluation in psychology and neuropsychology / Vygotski y Luria como fundadores de la evaluación cualitativa en psicología y neuropsicología

Abstract

According to L.S. Vygotsky, the process of development is not only one of the main topics of psychological research but also the object of psychological science. The study of the process of development necessarily implies specific consideration of new methodology for evaluation of development. In his work, L.S. Vygotsky has started to consider new ways of evaluation of developmental difficulties, claiming the necessity of changing from quantitative assessment to qualitative. Later, the founder of the new branch of psychological science, neuropsychology, A.R. Luria, proposed the strategies of qualitative assessment of brain mechanisms, which might be responsible for patients’ difficulties in cases of brain damage. The main objective of this article is to show that methodological principles established by A.R. Luria are useful for the qualitative assessment of adults, children and adolescents with acquired and inborn difficulties in brain functioning. The article provides critical analysis of the procedures of quantitative assessment predominant in modern neuropsychology in most countries. The conclusions stress the possibilities of Vygotsky and Luria’s approach as a unique conception of psychological development.