ABSTRACT
There are two distinct (though not mutually exclusive) views on the role of social context in human learning and development. According to the first view, learning is an individual process, which can be facilitated or inhibited depending on how individuals interact with each other. For instance, the need to communicate an understanding of the problem at hand to other participants in a problem-solving session can force people to formulate their ideas more carefully and, thus, improve reflection and planning (cf. Blaye & Light, 1995).
