I. Sokolyansky, L. Vygotsky, and A. Meshcheryakov: "The Technology of Humanization"

Abstract

The human psyche forms and develops in the process of interaction with the socio-cultural environment. Understanding this idea is especially important in the context of modern social and cultural changes. The works by I. Sokolyansky, L. Vygotsky, and A. Meshcheryakov devoted to the development of human consciousness, socialization, and overcoming barriers for people with sensory disabilities, provide valuable theoretical and practical justification for the "technology of humanization." Humanization in this context refers to the process of formation of higher mental functions, social life skills and personality in individuals in the context of learning and interaction with the outside world, during the process of mastering cultural tools and sign systems. The article pays special attention to the role of practical activity in the development of the psyche and examines the stages of formation of higher mental functions in children with severe sensory impairments. The Zagorsk experiment, confirming the inextricable link between practical activity and the development of the psyche, demonstrates successive stages of personality formation and the possibility of effective education for deaf-blind children using approaches developed by Vygotsky and Sokolyansky. The study of higher mental functions formation in children with severe perceptual impairments has revealed the main provisions of the "technology of humanization" proposed by Sokolyansky, Vygotsky and Meshcheryakov, which demonstrate that a person can become a full-fledged member of society even if their perception of the world is severely impaired. Their ideas serve as the theoretical foundation for modern approaches to inclusive education, rehabilitation, and general personality formation. The research findings may be of use to defectologists, psychologists, and teachers dealing with children who have health limitations.