Mental Operations’ Place in the Structure of Abilities and Thinking

Study of mental operations plays a key role in the psychology of abilities, psychology of thinking, psychology of learning. The problem of mental operations is directly connected with the problem of abilities as mechanisms of abilities' mastering are revealed through mental operations study. Individual's mastering of mental operations which act as generalized solutions to the problems, determines the thinking development and individual's development in general. The cultural-historical approach to higher mental functions development, activity theory (L. I. Bozovic, L. S. Vygotsky, V. V. Davydov, A. V. Zaporozhets, V. P. Zinchenko, A. N. Leontiev, A. R. Luria, S. L. Rubinstein, P. Tulviste, D. B. Elkonin et al.) and V. D. Shadrikov's theory of systemogenesis and abilities are theoretical and methodological bases of the study. ScientiZc novelty of the work lies in analysis of mental operations' concept from the perspective of its place in human mental development, in stating the problem of individual's mental operations mastering in age aspect, taking into account nonlinearity and heterochrony of development. In mental operations study it is important to understand the current state of the problem, there is a terminological disunity and no single interpretation. Based on the analysis we described trends related to di[erences in term interpretation and the method of study, then we highlighted the deZnition designated as the original in connection with a working concept. Mental operations' meaningful deZnition is a productive step towards the study of human mental development because of thinking and abilities development. The practical signiZcance of the work lies in the possible application of research results in the practice of educational process. Teachers' construction of training programs taking into account the research results will help to develop students' abilities as subjects of educational activity due to operational mechanisms.