# Activity Theory Activity Theory (Vygotsky, Leont'ev, Engeström) analyzes human behavior through the lens of goal-directed activity mediated by tools, rules, and social context. The unit of analysis isn't the individual but the activity system: subject, object, tools, community, rules, and division of labor. It emphasizes that cognition is distributed and situated. Widely used in HCI, education, and organizational studies, Activity Theory provides a framework for understanding how people use technology in real contexts—not isolated tasks but embedded in social practices, contradictions, and historical development. It connects to [[Embodied Cognition]] and [[Enactivism]] in rejecting purely mentalist views of cognition. ## Activity System Components | Component | Description | |-----------|-------------| | Subject | Who is acting | | Object | Goal of activity | | Tools | Mediating artifacts | | Community | Social context | ## References - Engeström, Yrjö. *Learning by Expanding* (1987) ## Related - [[Embodied Cognition]] - [[Enactivism]] - [[Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)]]