A father is helping his child, Leo, learn to ride a two-wheeled bicycle. Initially, the father holds both the handlebars and the seat to steady Leo's balance. As Leo becomes more stable, the father lets go of the handlebars but continues to hold the seat. Eventually, the father lets go of the seat as well, allowing Leo to ride completely independently.
With reference to this scenario, outline what Vygotsky meant by 'the zone of proximal development' (ZPD) and describe how the father's assistance illustrates the process of scaffolding.
Practise AQA A Level Psychology Cognition and development with exam-style questions for A Level Psychology. 100 questions covering Piaget's theory of cognitive development, Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development, Baillargeon's early infant abilities, and Development of social cognition, matched to the AQA A Level Psychology (7182) specification and written in Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.