Article Version of Record

Psychological functions of semiotic borders in sense-making: Liminality of narrative processes

Author(s) / Creator(s)

De Luca Picione, Raffaele
Valsiner, Jaan

Abstract / Description

In this paper we discuss the semiotic functions of the psychological borders that structure the flow of narrative processes. Each narration is always a contextual, situated and contingent process of sensemaking, made possible by the creation of borders, such as dynamic semiotic devices that are capable of connecting the past and the future, the inside and the outside, and the me with the non-me. Borders enable us to narratively construct one’s own experiences using three inherent processes: contextualization, intersubjective positioning and setting of pertinence. The narrative process – as a subjective articulation of signs in a contingent social context – involves several functions of semiotic borders: separation, differentiation, distinction-making, connection, articulation and relation-enabling. The relevant psychological aspect highlighted here is that a border is a semiotic device which is required for both maintaining stability and inducing transformation at the same time. The peculiar dynamics and the semiotic structure of borders generate a liminal space, which is characterized by instability, by a blurred space-time distinction and by ambiguities in the semantic and syntactic processes of sensemaking. The psychological processes that occur in liminal space are strongly affectively loaded, yet it is exactly the setting and activation of liminality processes that lead to novelty and creativity and enable the creation of new narrative forms.

Keyword(s)

psychological liminality narrative process semiotic borders sensemaking process

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2017-08-31

Journal title

Europe's Journal of Psychology

Volume

13

Issue

3

Page numbers

532–547

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

De Luca Picione, R., & Valsiner, J. (2017). Psychological functions of semiotic borders in sense-making: Liminality of narrative processes. Europe's Journal of Psychology, 13(3), 532–547. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v13i3.1136
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    De Luca Picione, Raffaele
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Valsiner, Jaan
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2018-11-21T10:00:01Z
  • Made available on
    2018-11-21T10:00:01Z
  • Date of first publication
    2017-08-31
  • Abstract / Description
    In this paper we discuss the semiotic functions of the psychological borders that structure the flow of narrative processes. Each narration is always a contextual, situated and contingent process of sensemaking, made possible by the creation of borders, such as dynamic semiotic devices that are capable of connecting the past and the future, the inside and the outside, and the me with the non-me. Borders enable us to narratively construct one’s own experiences using three inherent processes: contextualization, intersubjective positioning and setting of pertinence. The narrative process – as a subjective articulation of signs in a contingent social context – involves several functions of semiotic borders: separation, differentiation, distinction-making, connection, articulation and relation-enabling. The relevant psychological aspect highlighted here is that a border is a semiotic device which is required for both maintaining stability and inducing transformation at the same time. The peculiar dynamics and the semiotic structure of borders generate a liminal space, which is characterized by instability, by a blurred space-time distinction and by ambiguities in the semantic and syntactic processes of sensemaking. The psychological processes that occur in liminal space are strongly affectively loaded, yet it is exactly the setting and activation of liminality processes that lead to novelty and creativity and enable the creation of new narrative forms.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    De Luca Picione, R., & Valsiner, J. (2017). Psychological functions of semiotic borders in sense-making: Liminality of narrative processes. Europe's Journal of Psychology, 13(3), 532–547. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v13i3.1136
  • ISSN
    1841-0413
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1056
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1248
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v13i3.1136
  • Keyword(s)
    psychological liminality
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    narrative process
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    semiotic borders
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    sensemaking process
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Psychological functions of semiotic borders in sense-making: Liminality of narrative processes
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    3
  • Journal title
    Europe's Journal of Psychology
  • Page numbers
    532–547
  • Volume
    13
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record