ABSTRACT
Cognitive psychology studies various cognitive processes. Cognitive processes do not exist independently; they influence each other and are included into unitary human activity (deyatel’nost’ in Russian). Activity is a socially historical phenomenon that has evolved during the historical development of society. Human labor plays an important role in the formation of activity. Through human labor and its historical evolution, the human mind and consciousness are being developed. Consciousness and human practice are closely interconnected. Human work drives history and determines our social world and values. According to activity theory, you are what you do. Human activity exists in various artifacts, which can be in the form of technology and sign systems developed in a society. Artifacts are created by humans to achieve specific goals of activity. Hence, artificial tools produced by humans have specific purpose and value in activity. It is important to know the kind of goals can be achieved with this technology, the cost of producing particular technology, the efficiency of the technology, and so on. An activity-based approach to the study of human work and technology is a major purpose of applied and systemic-structural activity theory (SSAT). In activity theory, technology is a tool and means of work.
