Living Subjectivity and Cultural-historical Method: Limits of Applicability
Background. Any method of research or influence has limits of applicability. Determining the limits of applicability of the cultural-historical approach will reveal new phenomena in the study of living subjectivity that cannot be investigated within the framework of the cultural-historical approach to the psyche.
Objective of the study was to determine the limits of applicability of the cultural-historical method and to describe new mental phenomena, the study of which requires fundamentally different methodological approaches.
Methods. The material is the author’s and his colleagues’ long-term research in the field of functioning and development of consciousness. The method involved logical analysis when comparing the cultural-historical approach to psyche and the approach based on intuitive-reflective self-observation of living subjectivity.
Results. The analysis showed that cultural-historical method and socio-cultural method derived from it, aim at managing subjectivity with the help of objectified structures of the psyche — sign-symbolic formations such as speech, logical thinking, scientific concepts, social norms or culturally developed perceptual patterns. At the same time, the “fossils of living subjectivity” — symbols and signs, scientific concepts, schemes, algorithms, norms, theories, and others — are “psychological tools” that mediate the operation of living subjectivity. All directions in Russian psychology within this approach originated from this approach — the assertion of the leading role of speech in the development of the higher mental functions (HMF) by L.S. Vygotsky, the concept of the orienting basis of action (IBA) by P.Ya. Galperin, school programs for teaching concepts by D.B. Elkonin and V.V. Davydov, neuropsychological methods by A.R. Luria, studies of the development of voluntary movements by A.V. Zaporozhets and others. All these approaches worked; however, the living subjectivity remained a mystery. On the contrary, the method applicable to the study of living subjectivity can be called the method of “releasing impact” — an experiment based on self-observation and self-report in conditions where the subject can freely structure reality.
Conclusion. The cultural-historical method is effective in teaching ready-made knowledge at school, in developing skills, restoring lost cognitive functions in patients, or shaping cognitive and socio-moral forms of behavior based on external control. However, this method is not applicable to living subjectivity — experiences, the motivational-semantic sphere based on the magical laws of participation, emotional sphere and creative thinking, since this method considers a person as an object. The principles of studying living subjectivity are proposed, practical approaches to influence living subjectivity, as well as the contradictions and dangers associated with them are analyzed.
Csöff, R. (2022). Energy Vampirism — An Issue for Psycho-Social Self-Care and Prevention. Academia Letters, Article 4590. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL4590
Fairclough, S.H., Houston, K. (2004). A metabolic measure of mental effort. Biological Psychology, 66, 177–190. Freud, S. (1935). A general introduction to psychoanalysis. New York: Liveright.
Gailliot, M.T., Baumeister, R.F., Schmeichel, B.J. (2006). Self-regulatory processes defend against the threat of death: Effects of self-control depletion and trait self-conrol on thoughts and fears of dying. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91, 49–62.
Gailliot, M.T., Baumeister, R.F., DeWall, C.N., Maner, J.K., Plant, E.A., Tice, D.M., Brewer, L.E., Schmeichel, B. J. (2007). Self-control relies on glucose as a limited energy source: Willpower is more than a metaphor. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92, 325–336.
Glossary. Psychological Dictionary. (Retrieved from https://www.psychologies. ru/glossary/15/psihika/#:~:text) (review date: 23.12.2022). (In Russ.).
Jung, C.G. (1960). On psychic energy. In Jung, C.G. “On the nature of psyche”. New Jersey: Princeton University Press. (Original work published 1928).
Lehrer, J. (2010). The truth wears off. Is there something wrong with the scientific method? New Yorker, 13, 52–57.
Leontiev, A.N. (1975). Activity. Consciousness. Personality. Moscow: Politizdat. (In Russ.).
Leontiev, A.N. (1947). Essay on the development of the psyche. Moscow: Printing house of the Military Pedagogical Institute of the Soviet Army. (In Russ.).
Leontiev, A.N. (1981). Problems of the development of the psyche. Moscow: Publishing. House of Moscow State University. (In Russ.).
Leontiev, A.N. (2007). Lectures on general psychology. In D.A. Leontiev, E.E. Sokolova. (Eds). M.: Smysl: Publishing Center “Academy”. (In Russ.).
Luria, A.R. (1994). Small book about great memory. Moscow: Eidos. (In Russ.).
Nemeroff, C., Rozin, P. (2000). The making of the magical mind: The nature and function of sympathetic magical thinking. In Rosengren, K.S., Johnson, C.N., Harris, P.L. (Eds.), Imagining the impossible: Magical, scientific, and religious thinking in children (pp. 1–34). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Omar Khayyam. Rubai. (Retrieved from http://www.epwr.ru/khayyam/txt_25. php (review date: 12.05.2022). (In Russ.).
Pollan, M. (2018). How to change your mind: The new science of psychedelics. New York: Penguin Press.
Subbotsky, E. (2010). Magic and the mind. Mechanisms, functions and development of magical thinking and behavior. New York: Oxford University Press.
Subbotsky, E. (2013). Sensing the future: Reversed causality or a non-standard observer effect? SAGE open, 1–17. (Retrieved from https://openpsychologyjournal. com/VOLUME/6/PAGE/81/ABSTRACT) (review date: 27.05.2022).
Benton, D., Parker, P.Y., Donohoe, R.T. (1996). The supply of glucose to the brain and cognitive functioning. Journal of Biosocial Science, 28, 463–479. Csö ff, R. (2022). Energy Vampirism — An Issue for Psycho-Social Self-Care and Prevention. Academia Letters, Article 4590. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL4590
Fairclough, S.H., Houston, K. (2004). A metabolic measure of mental effort. Biological Psychology, 66, 177–190.
Freud, S. (1935). A general introduction to psychoanalysis. New York: Liveright.
Gailliot, M.T., Baumeister, R.F., Schmeichel, B.J. (2006). Self-regulatory processes defend against the threat of death: Effects of self-control depletion and trait self-conrol on thoughts and fears of dying. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91, 49–62.
Gailliot, M.T., Baumeister, R.F., DeWall, C.N., Maner, J.K., Plant, E.A., Tice, D.M., Brewer, L.E., Schmeichel, B. J. (2007). Self-control relies on glucose as a limited energy source: Willpower is more than a metaphor. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92, 325–336. Glossary. Psychological Dictionary. (Retrieved from https://www.psychologies. ru/glossary/15/psihika/#:~:text) (review date: 23.12.2022). (In Russ.).
Jung, C.G. (1960). On psychic energy. In Jung, C.G. “On the nature of psyche”. New Jersey: Princeton University Press. (Original work published 1928).
Lehrer, J. (2010). The truth wears off. Is there something wrong with the scientific method? New Yorker, 13, 52–57.
Leontiev, A.N. (1975). Activity. Consciousness. Personality. Moscow: Politizdat. (In Russ.).
Leontiev, A.N. (1947). Essay on the development of the psyche. Moscow: Printing house of the Military Pedagogical Institute of the Soviet Army. (In Russ.).
Leontiev, A.N. (1981). Problems of the development of the psyche. Moscow: Publishing. House of Moscow State University. (In Russ.).
Leontiev, A.N. (2007). Lectures on general psychology. In D.A. Leontiev, E.E. Sokolova. (Eds). M.: Smysl: Publishing Center “Academy”. (In Russ.).
Luria, A.R. (1994). Small book about great memory. Moscow: Eidos. (In Russ.).
Nemeroff, C., Rozin, P. (2000). The making of the magical mind: The nature and function of sympathetic magical thinking. In Rosengren, K.S., Johnson, C.N., Harris, P.L. (Eds.), Imagining the impossible: Magical, scientific, and religious thinking in children (pp. 1–34). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Omar Khayyam. Rubai. (Retrieved from http://www.epwr.ru/khayyam/txt_25. php (review date: 12.05.2022). (In Russ.).
Pollan, M. (2018). How to change your mind: The new science of psychedelics. New York: Penguin Press.
Subbotsky, E. (2010). Magic and the mind. Mechanisms, functions and development of magical thinking and behavior. New York: Oxford University Press.
Subbotsky, E. (2013). Sensing the future: Reversed causality or a non-standard observer effect? SAGE open, 1–17. (Retrieved from https://openpsychologyjournal. com/VOLUME/6/PAGE/81/ABSTRACT) (review date: 27.05.2022).
Objective of the study was to determine the limits of applicability of the cultural-historical method and to describe new mental phenomena, the study of which requires fundamentally different methodological approaches.
Methods. The material is the author’s and his colleagues’ long-term research in the field of functioning and development of consciousness. The method involved logical analysis when comparing the cultural-historical approach to psyche and the approach based on intuitive-reflective self-observation of living subjectivity.
Results. The analysis showed that cultural-historical method and socio-cultural method derived from it, aim at managing subjectivity with the help of objectified structures of the psyche — sign-symbolic formations such as speech, logical thinking, scientific concepts, social norms or culturally developed perceptual patterns. At the same time, the “fossils of living subjectivity” — symbols and signs, scientific concepts, schemes, algorithms, norms, theories, and others — are “psychological tools” that mediate the operation of living subjectivity. All directions in Russian psychology within this approach originated from this approach — the assertion of the leading role of speech in the development of the higher mental functions (HMF) by L.S. Vygotsky, the concept of the orienting basis of action (IBA) by P.Ya. Galperin, school programs for teaching concepts by D.B. Elkonin and V.V. Davydov, neuropsychological methods by A.R. Luria, studies of the development of voluntary movements by A.V. Zaporozhets and others. All these approaches worked; however, the living subjectivity remained a mystery. On the contrary, the method applicable to the study of living subjectivity can be called the method of “releasing impact” — an experiment based on self-observation and self-report in conditions where the subject can freely structure reality.
Conclusion. The cultural-historical method is effective in teaching ready-made knowledge at school, in developing skills, restoring lost cognitive functions in patients, or shaping cognitive and socio-moral forms of behavior based on external control. However, this method is not applicable to living subjectivity — experiences, the motivational-semantic sphere based on the magical laws of participation, emotional sphere and creative thinking, since this method considers a person as an object. The principles of studying living subjectivity are proposed, practical approaches to influence living subjectivity, as well as the contradictions and dangers associated with them are analyzed.
References
Benton, D., Parker, P.Y., Donohoe, R.T. (1996). The supply of glucose to the brain and cognitive functioning. Journal of Biosocial Science, 28, 463–479.Csöff, R. (2022). Energy Vampirism — An Issue for Psycho-Social Self-Care and Prevention. Academia Letters, Article 4590. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL4590
Fairclough, S.H., Houston, K. (2004). A metabolic measure of mental effort. Biological Psychology, 66, 177–190. Freud, S. (1935). A general introduction to psychoanalysis. New York: Liveright.
Gailliot, M.T., Baumeister, R.F., Schmeichel, B.J. (2006). Self-regulatory processes defend against the threat of death: Effects of self-control depletion and trait self-conrol on thoughts and fears of dying. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91, 49–62.
Gailliot, M.T., Baumeister, R.F., DeWall, C.N., Maner, J.K., Plant, E.A., Tice, D.M., Brewer, L.E., Schmeichel, B. J. (2007). Self-control relies on glucose as a limited energy source: Willpower is more than a metaphor. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92, 325–336.
Glossary. Psychological Dictionary. (Retrieved from https://www.psychologies. ru/glossary/15/psihika/#:~:text) (review date: 23.12.2022). (In Russ.).
Jung, C.G. (1960). On psychic energy. In Jung, C.G. “On the nature of psyche”. New Jersey: Princeton University Press. (Original work published 1928).
Lehrer, J. (2010). The truth wears off. Is there something wrong with the scientific method? New Yorker, 13, 52–57.
Leontiev, A.N. (1975). Activity. Consciousness. Personality. Moscow: Politizdat. (In Russ.).
Leontiev, A.N. (1947). Essay on the development of the psyche. Moscow: Printing house of the Military Pedagogical Institute of the Soviet Army. (In Russ.).
Leontiev, A.N. (1981). Problems of the development of the psyche. Moscow: Publishing. House of Moscow State University. (In Russ.).
Leontiev, A.N. (2007). Lectures on general psychology. In D.A. Leontiev, E.E. Sokolova. (Eds). M.: Smysl: Publishing Center “Academy”. (In Russ.).
Luria, A.R. (1994). Small book about great memory. Moscow: Eidos. (In Russ.).
Nemeroff, C., Rozin, P. (2000). The making of the magical mind: The nature and function of sympathetic magical thinking. In Rosengren, K.S., Johnson, C.N., Harris, P.L. (Eds.), Imagining the impossible: Magical, scientific, and religious thinking in children (pp. 1–34). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Omar Khayyam. Rubai. (Retrieved from http://www.epwr.ru/khayyam/txt_25. php (review date: 12.05.2022). (In Russ.).
Pollan, M. (2018). How to change your mind: The new science of psychedelics. New York: Penguin Press.
Subbotsky, E. (2010). Magic and the mind. Mechanisms, functions and development of magical thinking and behavior. New York: Oxford University Press.
Subbotsky, E. (2013). Sensing the future: Reversed causality or a non-standard observer effect? SAGE open, 1–17. (Retrieved from https://openpsychologyjournal. com/VOLUME/6/PAGE/81/ABSTRACT) (review date: 27.05.2022).
Benton, D., Parker, P.Y., Donohoe, R.T. (1996). The supply of glucose to the brain and cognitive functioning. Journal of Biosocial Science, 28, 463–479. Csö ff, R. (2022). Energy Vampirism — An Issue for Psycho-Social Self-Care and Prevention. Academia Letters, Article 4590. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL4590
Fairclough, S.H., Houston, K. (2004). A metabolic measure of mental effort. Biological Psychology, 66, 177–190.
Freud, S. (1935). A general introduction to psychoanalysis. New York: Liveright.
Gailliot, M.T., Baumeister, R.F., Schmeichel, B.J. (2006). Self-regulatory processes defend against the threat of death: Effects of self-control depletion and trait self-conrol on thoughts and fears of dying. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91, 49–62.
Gailliot, M.T., Baumeister, R.F., DeWall, C.N., Maner, J.K., Plant, E.A., Tice, D.M., Brewer, L.E., Schmeichel, B. J. (2007). Self-control relies on glucose as a limited energy source: Willpower is more than a metaphor. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92, 325–336. Glossary. Psychological Dictionary. (Retrieved from https://www.psychologies. ru/glossary/15/psihika/#:~:text) (review date: 23.12.2022). (In Russ.).
Jung, C.G. (1960). On psychic energy. In Jung, C.G. “On the nature of psyche”. New Jersey: Princeton University Press. (Original work published 1928).
Lehrer, J. (2010). The truth wears off. Is there something wrong with the scientific method? New Yorker, 13, 52–57.
Leontiev, A.N. (1975). Activity. Consciousness. Personality. Moscow: Politizdat. (In Russ.).
Leontiev, A.N. (1947). Essay on the development of the psyche. Moscow: Printing house of the Military Pedagogical Institute of the Soviet Army. (In Russ.).
Leontiev, A.N. (1981). Problems of the development of the psyche. Moscow: Publishing. House of Moscow State University. (In Russ.).
Leontiev, A.N. (2007). Lectures on general psychology. In D.A. Leontiev, E.E. Sokolova. (Eds). M.: Smysl: Publishing Center “Academy”. (In Russ.).
Luria, A.R. (1994). Small book about great memory. Moscow: Eidos. (In Russ.).
Nemeroff, C., Rozin, P. (2000). The making of the magical mind: The nature and function of sympathetic magical thinking. In Rosengren, K.S., Johnson, C.N., Harris, P.L. (Eds.), Imagining the impossible: Magical, scientific, and religious thinking in children (pp. 1–34). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Omar Khayyam. Rubai. (Retrieved from http://www.epwr.ru/khayyam/txt_25. php (review date: 12.05.2022). (In Russ.).
Pollan, M. (2018). How to change your mind: The new science of psychedelics. New York: Penguin Press.
Subbotsky, E. (2010). Magic and the mind. Mechanisms, functions and development of magical thinking and behavior. New York: Oxford University Press.
Subbotsky, E. (2013). Sensing the future: Reversed causality or a non-standard observer effect? SAGE open, 1–17. (Retrieved from https://openpsychologyjournal. com/VOLUME/6/PAGE/81/ABSTRACT) (review date: 27.05.2022).
Recieved: 12/25/2022
Accepted: 04/25/2023
Published: 06/15/2023
Keywords: A.N. Leontiev; psyche; subjectivity; cultural-historical approach; limits of applicability
Available online since: 15.06.2023
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