The Structure of Gal’perin’s Model of the Formation of Mental Acts

Abstract

An analysis of the underlying structure of Gal’perin’s model of the formation of mental acts is presented, based on a generative method developed by van Geert in 1987. First, an overview of Gal’perin’s five-stage model is given. Then, two analyses of the underlying state and sequence rules are presented, one according to a prospective, another according to a retrospective strategy. It is concluded that a retrospective strategy yields the best result. It is argued that the five-stage model should be viewed as a particular transformation of an underlying model of four main stages, each including four substages. Finally, an analysis of the transition rules is given. It includes a model of transitions and process components and a model of a transition topology. The topology is a structure of overlapping domains. The particular form of the overlap accounts for the stepwise and controlled character of the formation of a mental act.

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