The notion of interiorization is the basic element of the psychology of activity

The article will provide general information on the concept of interiorization. This phenomenon is characteristic of higher mental functions and activity. The term was developed by both Western and Soviet psychologists, especially within the framework of the psychology of activity.

Definition of concept

The concept of interiorization was first introduced into scientific circulation by researchers from France. Initially, there was another meaning of iteriorization. This was a phenomenon that denoted the process of inculcating the ideology of the individual, that is, the consciousness of society was transferred to the consciousness of the individual.

Psychoanalysts are considering a slightly different definition of interiorization. This, in their opinion, is a process that takes place in the psyche and determines the relationship of an individual with an existing or non-existent object, transforming the factor of the external environment into a factor of the internal environment. This phenomenon still causes discussions in the psychoanalytic direction. At the moment, scientists have not figured out whether processes like introjection, absorption and identification are identical, or they occur along parallel lines.

Soviet psychologist LS Vygotsky gave the following definition of internalization: it is the transformation of external activity into the internal environment of consciousness. The scientist believed that the initial development of the psyche occurs in the external environment and depends on various surrounding factors that are in the environment of the individual. But over time, these external general forms of activity due to the phenomenon of internalization are absorbed by human consciousness and become the higher mental functions of a particular individual.

How does the process of interiorization take place?

It has already been pointed out that external relations between people gradually turned into the higher mental functions of man, such as memory, thinking, perception, sensation, imagination. LS Vygotsky conducted experiments at the school to confirm his theoretical assumptions. As a result of research the scientist came to the following conclusions:

• To see the process of building higher mental functions is possible only in genesis, after they are formed. Then the structure enters deep into consciousness and becomes indistinguishable.
• Internalization has helped to create a mental reality through the transition of external forms into internal ones.
• The formed essence is difficult to explain, especially if we speak from the point of view of physiological processes. For its consideration you need a different kind of tools - psychological.

The process of transformation of external relations into internal relations is possible through internalization. This transformation does not happen on its own, because it also depends on the surrounding people, communicating with them. Only thanks to adequate upbringing, the child and his psyche develop correctly. The phenomenon of interiorization helps a person mentally make plans, make dialogues, consider various variants of events. Thinking abstract categories becomes available.

Interiorization of activities

Each term is a product of human activity. It turns out, you can hardly teach this. But thanks to a properly organized learning process, the interiorization of activities will be progressive and step-by-step.

Take, for example, a schoolboy who learns to read. To begin with, he should learn external forms, that is, letters. Then gradually the student learns syllables and begins to read aloud. But the process of teaching reading does not end there either, because the next step is to switch the reading aloud to internal reading. This is the process of transforming external actions into higher mental functions - the process of internalization.

Besides this phenomenon, there is also another opposite concept. Interiorization and exteriorization are like two sides of the coin. One transforms the external into the inner, and the other - the inner into the outer one. For example, when an automated skill fails, a person begins to look for what's wrong, and then does it right. Thus, the inner returns to the outer.

He was engaged in the study and development of these concepts in the framework of the theory of the stages of development of mental activity P. Ya. Galperin. He considered the highest level of interiorization that a person can do some actions mentally, without resorting to additional manipulation.

Theory of P. Ya. Galperin

The scientist believed that the thought action will be formed only after passing through such stages:

1. Acquaintance with the requirements to the result of the activity.
2. External manipulation with objects.
3. Actually, interiorization - mastering the action in the absence of material objects, transformation into the internal plan. Here, external speech is used to refer to external objects.
4. The final transition of speech into thinking activity.
5. Completion of interiorization.

That's how the human psyche develops, and external actions with the help of interiorization become a mental activity.