Editing Activity theory (section)

==Theory==
[[File:Activity system.png|thumb|Activity system diagram]]The goal of activity theory is understanding the mental capabilities of a single individual. However, it rejects the ''isolated'' individuals as insufficient [[unit of analysis]], analyzing the cultural and technical aspects of [[social action|human action]]s.<ref>{{cite book|last1 =Bertelsen|first1= Olav W. |first2 = Susanne|last2= Bødker|author2-link= Susanne Bødker |date = 2003 |chapter = Chapter 11: Activity Theory |chapter-url=https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/794e/762dc34936f768454b56bbafd9c18eb84cfa.pdf|title = HCI Models, Theories, and Framewors: Toward an Interdisciplinary Science|doi= 10.4135/9781412957397.n3 |s2cid= 4329774 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180325232237/https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/794e/762dc34936f768454b56bbafd9c18eb84cfa.pdf |archive-date= 25 March 2018 |editor-last = Carroll|editor-first = J.M.}}</ref>

Activity theory is most often used to describe actions in a [[Sociotechnical systems|socio-technical system]] through six related elements (Bryant et al. as defined by Leonti'ev 1981 and redefined in Engeström 1987) of a conceptual system expanded by more nuanced theories:
* Object-orientedness – the objective of the activity system. Object refers to the objectiveness of the reality; items are considered objective according to natural sciences but also have social and cultural properties.
* Subject or internalization – actors engaged in the activities; the traditional notion of mental processes
* Community or externalization – social context; all actors involved in the activity system
* Tools or tool mediation – the artifacts (or concepts) used by actors in the system (both material and abstract artifacts). Tools influence actor-structure interactions, they change with accumulating experience. In addition to physical shape, the knowledge also evolves. Tools are influenced by culture, and their use is a way for the accumulation and transmission of social knowledge. Tools influence both the agents and the structure.
* [[Division of labor]] – social strata, hierarchical structure of activity, the division of activities among actors in the system
* Rules – conventions, guidelines and rules regulating activities in the system

Activity theory helps explain how [[social artifact]]s and [[social organization]] mediate social action (Bryant et al.).