As part of the Scientific Readings in memory of L.F. Obukhova, Professor of Moscow Lomonosov State University, on the occasion of her 80th anniversary, a memorial round table was held. The participants who knew Lyudmila Obukhova shared their memories of working and personal contact with her.

Background. Psychology Department of Moscow Lomonosov State University together with Russian Psychological Association has celebrated the 80th birth anniversary of Lyudmila Obukhova. She was an outstanding world known expert in developmental psychology, mental development, family and child matters, etc.
The Objective is to analyze fruitful scientific and personal achievements of Lyudmila Obukhova of the 15 last years of her life that are uncovered by her colleagues at the Psychology Department of Moscow Lomonosov State University.

Design. The paper describe sour collaboration with Lyudmila Obukhova in 2002-2016: lecturing trips, participation in international congresses and conferences, e.g.the 2nd Congress of the International Association of Cultural Research (ISCAR) in San Diego, USA; the first International Vygotsky memorial Conference in Lisbon, Portugal; the XX International Congress of gerontology in Seoul, South, Korea; the first International Congress on child psychology in Braga, Portugal; The 6th International Conference on Nutrition and Physical Activity in Taipei, Taiwan’; The 7th International Conference on Cognitive Sciences in Svetlogorsk, ethnographic expedition in Kamchatka and more. An integration of various research issues and their international value should be underlined as well as Obukhova’s exceptional personality and communication talent.

Conclusion. Obukhova’s array of interests is identified, her personality is revealed, her unusual gift of communication is shown. International recognition of her research is revealed.

Abstract of L.F. Obukhova at the 6th International Conference on Nutrition and Physical Activity (Taipei, Taiwan 22.10.2015)

On January 27-28, 2017, the 2nd All-Russian Conference «The way to success: programs to support gifted children and youth in the context of scientific and technological development of the Russian Federation» was held in the Sirius Educational Centre (Sochi, Russia)

February 20-22, 2018 the 6th ASEAN Regional Congress of Psychological Associatons was held in Kuta (Indonesia)

From 5 to 7 September in Kazan (Volga) Federal University held two major events the psychological community. Within All-Russian forum of psychological events to be held VI Congress of the Russian psychological society (RPO).

18 October 2017 staff of the faculty of psychology of Moscow state University named M. V. Lomonosov took part in the XIX world festival of youth and students.

The paper is dedicated to the 115th birthday of P.Ya.Galperin, the classic of national psychology (1902-2017). The purpose of the paper is to showP.Ya.Galperin’s contribution to fundamental and practiceoriented science, and alsoto revealthe link between these two approaches sides in his scientific heritage. The gist of his innovative psychological theory is disclosed. The key methodological principlesare highlighted: understanding of the scope and method of psychological science; psychophysical issue, i.e. the nature of psyche and the mental world; a psychophysiological problem, the issue of the relationship between psychology and physiology; the issue of human instincts in connection with historical social nature of consciousness; the notion of linguistic consciousness and the relation of language and thought; the principle of unity of history and theory in scientific knowledge. Terminological work carried out by P. Ya.Galperin is analyzed. The introduction of new concepts enriches and makes the conceptual apparatus of psychological sciencemore precise. The necessity to reveal each methodological provision to solve practical problemsis mentioned. The unity of theoretical and practical aspects in psychological theory developed by P. Ya. Galperin, its authentic nature and relation to the culturalhistorical psychology of L.S.Vygotsky, activity concepts of S.L. Rubinstein and A.N. Leontiev are shown. There are several directions in which the method of gradual development of mental functions and concepts organizes the process of teaching and learning, the mechanisms of perceptionand simultaneous mental processes, the phenomena of Jean Piaget are explained. To sum up, the inexhaustible possibilities of the practical use of the theory of P.Ya. Galperin in all areas of individual experience.

The paper contains the description of Pyotr Ya. Galperin’s scientific biography stages. P.Ya. Galperin (1902–1988) is an outstanding Russian psychologist, the founder of an original psychological concept. The paper shows how P.Ya. Galperin’s scientific views were logically developing when he was working on the theory of gradual development of human intellectual activity that analyzes the process of constructing basic components of mental activity and creates the conditions for transforming the action into a psychological phenomenon.

The biography is compiled on the basis of publications and talks of P.Ya. Galperin, the memories of colleagues and friends, using numerous archives. By now, only the main events in the life of a scientist have been marked. The paper presents the data that could be verified by referring to P.Yа. Galperin’s CV and data of the Academic Council of the Faculty of Psychology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, stored in the Archive of Lomonosov Moscow State University, and P.Yа. Galperin’s science archive passed by the grandson Yakov I. Abramson to the Archive of the Institute of Psychology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The family archives failed to survive because of the frequent relocation, and P.Ya. Galperin did not write a detailed autobiography, so the task of clarifying the facts of his biography is relevant.

All periods of P.Ya. Galperin’s scientific creative life are presented, his participation in scientific and practical events starting with the mid-1920s is mentioned. The 1930- 1940s are the most difficult years for event recovery. 55 years of professional and personal life (from 1943 and until his death in 1988) are associated with Lomonosov Moscow State University, therefore the focus is on P.Ya. Galperin as an outstanding Professor of Moscow University, i.e. the author of the original theory of the orientating nature and function of human mind, the organizing force in psychology. 

The conclusion highlights how the modern scholars are preserving the scientific heritage of P.Ya. Galperin.

Celebrating the 115th anniversary birth of P.Ya. Galperin, an outstanding Russian scientist, and paying tribute to his contribution in general psychology, genetic psychology and teacher-training psychology, it is necessary to emphasize Galperin’s unique approach to the essence of mental phenomena and processes, to the mechanisms and development that reverberate the internal integrity and systemic approach. There are at least, three main directions of P.Ya. Galperin’s concept, i.e. his system of psychology. The first direction is the method of gradual development of intellectual activity for studying human mental activity. The second direction is the study of the theoretically described and actually implemented process of gradual development of intellectual activity as a psychological reality. The third direction is the gradual development of intellectual activity in the practice of teaching.

This paper is devoted to the strategic issues of implementing gradual development of intellectual activity. The significance of these assumptions for practical training, not in a laboratory experiment, but in the mass version, paradoxically requires a far deeper and broader understanding of mechanisms of the human mental activity than academic laboratory research. The reasons for the relatively limited use of Galperin’s theory are considered in the practice of training. Further development of psychology along the path outlined by P.Ya. Galperin aimed at enhancing practical capabilities of the theoretical approach is being highlighted.

July 1–14, 2017 Amsterdam, Holland, the 16th European Congress of Psychology (ECP2019) to be held in Moscow, Russia, on July 2–5, 2019, is presented within the 15th European Congress of Psychology (ECP2017)

June 29–July 3, 2017 the Department of Psychology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, holds an International Student Scientific Practical Conference, Summer School of the Department of Psychology (LShP MSU- 2017)

May 11, 2017 two important documents aimed at strengthening international cooperation and raising the status of Russian psychology are signed in Lomonosov Moscow State University

In 2016, the scientific and pedagogical community from different countries is celebrating the 120th anniversary of the birth of L. S. Vygotsky, an outstanding humanist, the Russian scientist who made an enormous contribution to the development of the socialization of man in nature, culture and society.

A meeting of Chinese Psychological Society was held on October 14-16 in Sian (China). It united more than 3000 participants: Chinese scientists as well as representatives of UNESCO International Union of Psychological Science and Russian, Indian, Pakistani, Mongolian and American Psychological Societies.

The Meeting outcomes included agreements on joint scientific events and research projects of Chinese and Russian Psychological Societies. It might be a step towards establishment of Euroasian alliance in psychological science.

In this paper the outcomes of the continuous studies of will are analyzed. The concept of “will” and the concept of “sense” were introduced in the ancient psychology as theoretical constructs. Later these concepts were replaced with narrower ones that now reflect various psychic processes. The whole concept of “will” has changed through time. In the 20th century it was perceived as a separate psychic process of an unknown nature, that is why K. Levin has even proposed excluding this concept from psychology.

The first outcome can be summarized as follows. It is essential to analyze the way concepts are introduced and developed in terms of a particular science. The reason is that all the basic psychological concepts were initially introduced not to reflect the realities, but to explain them as theoretical constructs. Moreover, it is important to consider the possibility of initial constructs differentiation. For instance, mind can branch out into perception, notion, imagination and thinking. In Russian psychology, the concept of will as a capability of overcoming inner and outer barriers was in active use until the 70-ies. The nature of this phenomenon was unknown. Only the analysis of a willful act generation and the way the concept of will was introduced scientists to formulate the task of identifying the mechanisms of a willful act itself.

The second outcome is as follows. To solve a problem it is needed to replace it with a task to complete. For instance, to understand the nature of will we can replace the problem of its understanding with a task of generating a willful act, compensating for the deficiency of initial motivation.

The third outcome is that it is essential to coordinate a new concept with all the rest concepts of that particular science.

The interview reveals the contribution of Lev Vygotsky in science and education, his main scientific achievements being drawn particular attention to. His innovative concepts in pedagogy and psychology are far ahead of time and are relevant up today. Lev Vygotsky put forward ideas that disclosed the principles of cultural development of human individual, his/her mental functions (speech, attention, thinking), and explained the internal mental processes of the child, their relationship with the environment. Lev Vygotsky introduced a number of terms and concepts that are the basis of modern psychology and pedagogy. Among them there are «higher mental functions», «interiorization», «mediation», «signification», etc.

There extraordinary versatility Lev Vygotsky is emphasized in the paper. He is known not only as a psychologist, but also as a philosopher, methodologist, teacher, therapist, and even as the author of the brilliant theater and literary reviews. There are also facts about Vygotsky’s scientific path and his biography.

The importance of Vygotsky’s ideas in the development of the educational process is highlighted. The scientist laid the most important principles of the child education. Such concepts developed by him as «zone of proximal development», «social situation of development», «critical age», «sensitive periods in the child development» are still successfully used by leading psychologists and educators. He made a huge contribution to the development of ideas about the origin and development of speech, its role in the development of thinking.

The whole galaxy of prominent scientists were raised under the influence of Vygotsky. Closest students and colleagues were the author of the activity theory A.N. Leontyev, the world-renowned neuropsychologist A.R. Luria, the author of the concept of the child’s mental development D.B. El’konin, the author of the theory of stage development of mental activity P.Ya. Galperin.

Lev Vygotsky is famous on the international scale: his works are translated into 19 languages. Research centers and institutes based on the approach of Vygotsky and developing his ideas exist today in many countries, e.g. in France, Portugal, Brazil, Angola. Seminars, conferences and congresses in different parts of the world are devoted to his ideas scientific.

The author emphasizes the increasing role of psychology in the life of modern society, entering into the social life in a variety of forms. Psychology is a truly «effective» science of studying a person. The most significant achievements of modern psychology are considered: the development of practical educational psychology, the creation of system activity approach to cognition, the occurrence of psychology in the world of cognitive science, psychology of emergencies, etc. Psychology has become a reality and its various areas are treated as «the architect» of mental and economic life throughout the world, including Russia, psychology turns into a efficient reconstructing science that can be observed not only in the construction program standards of modern education, but also in the programs of tolerance development in the society as a support of diversity standards.

Considerable attention is paid to the activities of the Department of Psychology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, as a center of psychological science with all its increasing diversity and development. On the eve of the 50th anniversary of the Department of Psychology, A.G. Asmolov, whose life was closely connected with the educational and research center, examines successes and accomplishments of the Department, contribution to the world of psychology.

A.G. Asmolov lists the names of the most outstanding graduates of the Department who have achieved impressive results in various branches of psychology and are now in different parts of the Russian Federation and of the world working in the sphere of psychology. The Department is said to be a «trendsetter» in psychology. Such interesting areas as psychology of uncertainty, psychology of complexity, psychology of diversity, etc. are being developed. The ideas that emerge at the Department of psychology are becoming the ideas known in the whole world.

The paper is an attempt to summarize the interaction of the two largest schools of psychology in Russia: the psychological schools of Moscow and St. Petersburg. The paper is a sketch dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the psychological faculties of Moscow and St. Petersburg, and should not be appreciated as a historical treatise. Tense ties between the psychological schools, that originate in the distant past, have gone through different historical stages. Slavophilevs Westernizer traditions affected the initial difference in these schoolsemerging into the opposition: either the human being is studied entirety with his/her vast subjective experience, but losing the reliability of our statements (peculiarity of Moscow school), or we study the human being accurately using objective methods, but losing the integrity of our ideas (peculiarity of St.-Petersburg school). Both psychological schools, having gone through the ups and downs, have retained their identity and their emphasis on research. Moscow scholars in their studies are aimed to larger issues and still rely on large-scale Vygotsky-Leontiev approach. Scholars of St.-Petersburgtouch upon more specific issues using empirical methods, but still continue with nostalgia and hope making plans about creating a common concept of human individual according to Ananiev. Nowadays between the two schools there is no opposition, but only one mutual love.

The author, being a former student of the Department of Psychology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, and now is teacher, professor, remembers those who created and maintained such traditions of the Department as depth of knowledge and coherence of ideas, methodological clarity and dialogue, holistic view of the issue and using problem solving in teaching, and also the joint work of professors and students in the way of perceiving the truth. According to the author the 50th anniversary of the Department of Psychology is an occasion to both recall the path members of the Department went over the years, including several epochs, and to outline the prospects for further development. Considerable attention is paid to the personality of G.M. Andreeva, who is a gifted teacher, a brilliant scholar, and one of the founders of social psychology in the Russia. Particular attention is drawn to Galina Andreeva collecting the brightest staff of the Chair of Social Psychology, whose key feature was involvement in both the scientific and also collective life of the Department, which contributed to the development of the new important branch of psychology. The author also singles out the figure of the wonderful teacher L.A. Petrovskaya who encouraged the students to cherish their individuality as she believed it to be the main tool of the professional psychologist. With much gratitude the author recalls tips for organizing the teaching process received from A.U. Kharash.

The paper characterizes the current state and the importance of the Department, and outlines the prospects for further development. In particular, the author speaks of the need for developing student personal involvement in professional activities, and also of creating favourable conditions at the Deaprtment for a student successful transition from training to real life.