Behaviorism, Positivism and Vygotskian Critique

Abstract

Positivism, especially Mach's, was highly influential in the development of psychology as a science and often criticized by Marxist theorists, particularly Vygotsky in many of his writings. Behaviorism and reflexology, its Russian analog, fail to acknowledge the social character of man due to their reductionism, limiting themselves to studying only the simplest elements of human behavior. At the same time, their obsession with purifying science from supposed “metaphysical” assumptions leads to the elimination of consciousness and higher psychological functions from the field of research. The Vygotskian critique highlights that the positivist spirit of behaviorism and reflexology leads to methodological dualism.