Auto- and allo-confrontation as tools for reflective activities

This paper presents a methodology of assistance to reflective activity, based on confronting participants with the video recording of their own activity or that of others. A typology of the various forms of use of confrontation is proposed and illustrated from a study based on the construction of technical procedures. Two categories of results are highlighted. On the one hand, individual auto-confrontation (confronting participants with their own activity) reveals the cognitive processes underlying the activity. On the other hand, individual allo-confrontation (confronting participants with an activity they practice but which is performed by someone else, without the latter being present) allows participants to develop their knowledge by getting aware of other types of representations.