From Cultural Psychology to GeroPsychology

GeroPsych ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 137-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaan Valsiner
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Psychology ◽  
Social Representations ◽  
Dialogical Self ◽  
Psychology Theory ◽  
Dialogical Self Theory ◽  
Theory Of Social Representations

Abstract. Both geropsychology and cultural psychology have been new branches of psychology that have established their distinctive roles over the last two decades. In this article, I chart out three major perspectives within cultural psychology – theory of social representations (Serge Moscovici), dialogical self theory (Hubert Hermans), and my own cultural psychology of semiotic dynamics, and suggest some directions for their joint roles in GeroPsychology.

Construction of borders: Intra-psychological dynamics of emerging national identity

2021 ◽  
pp. 095935432110109
Author(s):  
Katrin Kullasepp
Keyword(s):  
Identity Formation ◽  
Cultural Psychology ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Dialogical Self ◽  
Societal Level ◽  
Dialogical Self Theory ◽  
Past Experiences ◽  
Affective Process ◽  
Level Of Analysis

Border-making is an inevitable experience in human life. Borders can be viewed as part of an external sociocultural structure that guides the dynamics of dialogues between persons and institutions. However, in addition to the interpersonal and societal level of analysis, borders can be conceptualized as an intra-psychological process of identity formation that is involved in meaning making and in organizing experiences with the world. Within the framework of cultural psychology, this article will provide an account of the process of bordering, using the example of Estonian identity that is approached as an affective process of semiotic construction of borders between us and the “other” (i.e., “non-us”). Using the dialogical self theory, it will examine how different I-positions (e.g., I-as-Estonian) related to collective and personal past experiences are involved in the construction of borders. The tendency to incline toward re-creation of the established structure of borders with the potential to renegotiate them is also revealed in this study.

scholarly journals Making dialogue with an existential voice in transition from military to civilian life

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 832-850 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Grimell
Keyword(s):  
Military Personnel ◽  
Military Service ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Identity Work ◽  
Civilian Life ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
Dialogical Self ◽  
Dialogical Self Theory

Dialogical Self Theory has contributed to the endeavors to map and grid self-identity work in transition from military to civilian life throughout an empirical and longitudinal research project which focuses on existential dimensions. This article is based on a case study from this project and centers upon Sergeant Jonas, who, upon his return from deployment in Afghanistan, struggled with his transition as a new existential position was vocalized throughout the following annual interviews. This voice narrated feelings of meaninglessness, emptiness, and of having been deceived. In turn, this existential voice required an answer to a question which apparently had no answer. The meaning-making eventually evolved into an acceptance which enabled Jonas to proceed with his life. Dialogical processes between positions are important in order to go on with life amid existential concerns in the aftermath of military service since dialogicality of the self opens up a complex of dynamics of meaning-making processes, negotiations, and transformations. Based on the findings, it is suggested that the Personal Position Repertoire could potentially be strengthened by the addition of an internal existential position to its standard repertoire, at least when working with military personnel and/or veterans.

The decay of signs’ semiotic value: A cultural psychology interpretation of the contemporary social scenario

2021 ◽  
pp. 1354067X2110272
Author(s):  
Sergio Salvatore ◽  
Arianna Palmieri ◽  
Barbara Cordella ◽  
Salvatore Iuso
Keyword(s):  
Public Sphere ◽  
Social Dynamics ◽  
Cultural Psychology ◽  
Levels Of Analysis ◽  
Deep Uncertainty ◽  
The Public ◽  
Psychology Theory ◽  
The Public Sphere ◽  
Societal Dynamics ◽  
Political Turmoil

The article provides an analysis of the affective polarization of the public sphere, namely, the increasing momentum gained by affective sensemaking in the current socio-institutional scenario (e.g. raise of populism, distrust in democracy and spreading xenophobia). To this end, the Semiotic Cultural Psychology Theory (SCPT) is outlined. The SCPT focuses on the embodied micro-mechanisms bridging the intra- and inter-psychological levels of analysis of the semiotic dynamics. The article is composed of two parts. First, the SCPT is outlined in terms of its nine underlying tenets. Then, SCPT is used to frame an interpretation of the psycho-social dynamics underpinning the current socio-political scenario. Based on the SCPT model, the spread of affective sensemaking in current societal dynamics is interpreted as being due to the capacity of affects to work as semiotic stabilizers, enabling people to face the deep uncertainty fostered by the economic and political turmoil associated with globalization.

scholarly journals The psychological imagination

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 229-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Tateo
Keyword(s):  
Human Activity ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Dialogical Self ◽  
Dialogical Self Theory ◽  
Higher Psychological Functions ◽  
New Research ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Theoretical Issues ◽  
Symbolic Products

Abstract: The commentary presents an epistemological reflection about Dialogical Self theory. First, the theoretical issues of DS about the relationship between individuality, alterity and society are discussed, elaborating on the articles of this special issue. Then, it is presented the argument of psychologist's ontological fallacy, that is the attitude to moving from the study of processes to the study of psychological entities. Finally a development toward new research directions is proposed, focusing on the study of higher psychological functions and processes, taking into account complex symbolic products of human activity and developing psychological imagination.

scholarly journals Comparative study on the social representations of cancer and breast cancer

2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Margarida Pocinho ◽  
Fatima Matos ◽  
Ana Amaral
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Social Representations ◽  
Descriptive Study ◽  
Breast Cancer Treatment ◽  
Social Representation ◽  
Central Core ◽  
Central Nucleus ◽  
The Social ◽  
Symbolic Universe ◽  
Theory Of Social Representations

Abstract Background The symbolic universe of cancer is associated with death, but its treatment has undergone innumerable innovations, which may lead to a new meaning for social representations. The theory of social representations seeks the new, which changes in the knowledge of common sense (Guareschi & Jovchelovitch, 1994). Thus, the objective of this work is to identify the social representations of cancer and breast cancer, identifying their changes and their meanings based on the central nucleus and the peripheral system. Methods Qualitative and descriptive study, based on the structural approach of the theory of social representations. The sample was non-probabilistic and due to accessibility. The collection instrument was a Word Evocation Test with two inducing words, ‘cancer’ and ‘breast cancer’. The subjects were asked to mention three words that came to their mind immediately and spontaneously. The SPSS and IRAMUTEQ software were used. Results 753 subjects participated and 2316 words were evoked for each inducing word. In the central core of cancer the words pain, illness, death, suffering. Central core of breast cancer: treatment, pain, feeling, woman, strength. Conclusions The social representation of cancer is still strongly death, while in breast cancer it is the treatment. Suffering and pain are part of the central core of the two words and continue to characterize the disease, but in breast cancer the word strength appears. It is concluded that the social representation of breast cancer is being reframed.

scholarly journals The Jihadi Current and the Lay Thinking: A “Re-Anchorage” Process Hypothesis

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 363-374
Author(s):  
Dorra Ben Alaya
Keyword(s):  
Common Sense ◽  
Social Representations ◽  
Al Qaeda ◽  
Islamic State ◽  
The Social ◽  
Islamist Terrorism ◽  
Familiar Objects ◽  
Theory Of Social Representations

The Jihadi-salafist doctrine which is at the Islamist terrorism origin that affects several countries since the emergence of Al Qaeda in the late 80's, gave birth to the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham/Levant (ISIS/ISIL) established as a Caliphate in 2014. Despite the ISIS official military defeat in 2019, the Jihadi-Salafist current - whose history goes back a long way, is currently behind a number of attacks whether collective or individual, claimed by known organizations or committed in isolation. In our perspective, we try to apprehend the attraction power of the Jihadi narrative issue taking the Theory of Social Representations as a paradigmatic framework. This implies that we dont consider the Jihadi current membership as the manifestation of a deviation from normality or optimal rationality, but as the expression of a certain common sense resonance. More precisely, and taking the case of the Tunisian context, the success of the Jihadi narrative is explained by its effectiveness as an interpretive grid and as a guide for action, making it possible to re-anchor a reality lacking in meaning. This hypothesis of a re-anchoring implies that anchoring as described by Moscovici as one of the two processes at the origin of the social representations formation (with the objectification process), could be not only as a familiarization of the strange by inserting it in an already known pre-existing frame, but by substituting to the frame itself, a new one, in order to be able to insert familiar objects which would have lost their sense precisely because of the old frame itself. This hypothesis could offer a theoretical and heuristic perspective allowing the anchoring process to be conceived as a circular and non-definitive process.

Adaptation in a dialogical perspective—From acculturation to proculturation

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 545-559 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimer Gamsakhurdia
Keyword(s):  
Continuous Process ◽  
Social Representation ◽  
Cultural Elements ◽  
Dialogical Self ◽  
Meta Position ◽  
Social Representation Theory ◽  
Adaptive Processes ◽  
Worldwide Web ◽  
Dialogical Self Theory ◽  
Modern Mass

This article aims to provide a reconsideration of the adaptive processes unfolding while meeting novel cultural elements in a dialogical perspective. The mainstream acculturation studies are criticized for seeing sociocultural transformations in a mechanistic and essentialist way and the term of proculturation is proposed instead, to emphasize constructive and subjective nature of human adaptation to novelties. Proculturation develops when a person faces any kind of novelties. It is a continuous process. Each proculturative experience inevitably makes imprint on personality, as any meeting with new ideas is interpreted subjectively and becomes part of a cognitive and affective experience. Proculturation can be initiated even without leaving home as globalization and modern mass media spread cultural elements from culture to culture easily throughout the whole world. Cultures overlap and constitute worldwide web of meanings. I propose ways for the integration of dialogical self theory (DST) and social representation theory (SRT). The term of social representation should be integrated in DST by replacing the term of meta-position as they serve essentially the same meaning in their theories respectively. In this way, dialogical self (DS) obtains processual dimension mediating through the personal and societal processes. Human subjectivity is contemplated as the stem of a semiotically mediated system of persons, cultures, and societies.

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