Longitudinal procedure
Followed up 45 children
FUP at 16, 26, 44, 54 months
Observed them in problem solving tasks with help of mother
Distinctive changes were observed
Mothers used less and less direct intervention and more hints/prompts as children gained experience
Increasingly offered help when it was needed rather than constantly
This supports Vygotsky’s concept of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and scaffolding, as it shows how more knowledgeable others (in this case, mothers) adapt their assistance based on the child’s growing independence and cognitive ability
Because the study used a longitudinal design, it provides stronger evidence for development over time, adding validity to Vygotsky’s claims about the social origins of cognitive growth.