Which theorist is associated with the Zone of Proximal Development?

• A. Lev Vygotsky
• B. Jean Piaget
• C. Howard Gardner
• D. B.F. Skinner

Answer: (C)

The Zone of Proximal Development describes the range of tasks a child can accomplish with guidance or support from someone more knowledgeable, but cannot yet do independently. It highlights how learning happens through scaffolding—temporary, tailored assistance that helps a child move from assisted performance to independent mastery. In practice, a teacher or more-capable peer provides just enough prompts, hints, or demonstrations, then gradually withdraws support as the child’s competence grows. The theorist who introduced this concept is Lev Vygotsky.

Other thinkers approach development differently: Piaget focused on stages of cognitive development and how thinking changes with age, Gardner proposed multiple intelligences as distinct ways people learn, and Skinner emphasized behavior and reinforcement rather than guided social support.