Structure and Distortions of the Activity Autoregulation: a Growing Edge of the Cultural-Historical Activity Theory

Abstract

The problem setting of the paper stems from the idea of shifts in research contexts and explanatory emphases in the Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) through the history of its development, specifically, from putting the concepts of mediation and self-regulation (autoregulation) to the foreground in the 1980s. The immediate object of the analysis are the elements of activity autoregulation structure and varieties of its possible distortions. In line with the distinction of five elements of any contour of autoregulation as the mechanism of cyclic action correction basing on the comparison of the feedback on the current results with the preset goal criterion, ten arts of autoregulation distortions are differentiated and described: 1А. Lack of goal criteria or lacking selectivity as regards such criteria; 1B. Excessive rigidity of the goal criteria; 2А. Difficulties in the transition from decision to implementation; 2B. Uncontrolled, uncorrectable acting; 3А. Lacking sensitivity to the feedback; 3B. Anxious hypersensitivity to the feedback. 4A. Lack of readiness to detect mistakes and to correct erroneous actions; 4B. Failed comparison of the feedback with goal criteria, spontaneous responding; 5А. Denying mistakes and refusal of their correction; 5B. Painful responding to errors and failures.