The Psyche and School Education: From the Reflections of Traditional Psychology to the Contributions of Cultural-Historical Theory

Abstract

Contemporary society, marked by the constant pursuit of immediate results and practical solutions, reflects a way of life that directly influences individuals’ formative processes, especially in the school context. From early childhood, children are inserted into a process of adaptation to social norms and values, which highlights the need to understand human development as a historical and social process. However, the absence of this understanding has led to reductionist interpretations of the child’s psyche, often associated with biologicist explanations and the medicalization of behavior.

In light of this, this theoretical-bibliographic article analyzes the factors underlying children’s psychological development within school education, based on the assumptions of Historical-Dialectical Materialism and Cultural-Historical Psychology. It discusses the concept of the psyche, its forms of constitution, and the role of the social environment—especially the school—in this process, highlighting the pedagogical implications for teaching and learning. The results indicate that psychological development should be understood as a historical and social process, overcoming the dichotomies of traditional psychology. The school plays a central role by mediating the appropriation of cultural signs and enabling the humanization of the child, promoting the development of higher psychological functions.