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 processPersistent 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
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ejop.v13i3.1136.pdfAdobe PDF - 602.42KBMD5: 15ae44ab6a59d6438f2566eae4b5024e
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Author(s) / Creator(s)De Luca Picione, Raffaele
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Valsiner, Jaan
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PsychArchives acquisition timestamp2018-11-21T10:00:01Z
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Made available on2018-11-21T10:00:01Z
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Date of first publication2017-08-31
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Abstract / DescriptionIn 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
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Publication statuspublishedVersion
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Review statuspeerReviewed
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CitationDe 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
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ISSN1841-0413
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Persistent Identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1056
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Persistent Identifierhttps://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1248
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Language of contenteng
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PublisherPsychOpen GOLD
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Is version ofhttps://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v13i3.1136
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Keyword(s)psychological liminalityen_US
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Keyword(s)narrative processen_US
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Keyword(s)semiotic bordersen_US
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Keyword(s)sensemaking processen_US
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Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)150
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TitlePsychological functions of semiotic borders in sense-making: Liminality of narrative processesen_US
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DRO typearticle
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Issue3
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Journal titleEurope's Journal of Psychology
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Page numbers532–547
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Volume13
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Visible tag(s)Version of Record