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Psychologism in the study of children's semiotic development

Lenninger, Sara LU (2024) In Cognitive Semiotics 17(1). p.157-171
Abstract

This essay discusses the notion of 'semiotic development in child development' and highlights potential concerns for 'psychologism' when semiotics turns into cognitive semiotics. The notion of 'semiotic development in child development' indicates a transdisciplinary approach involving both semiotics, the general study of meaning and signs, and child psychology. This, however, invites the criticism of committing the fallacy of psychologism. Piaget was aware of this dilemma when developing his theory of the semiotic function as a united capacity in children's cognitive development. Sonesson's proposal of a general definition of signs in meaning-making is suggested to, at some points, meet the dilemma with psychologism in studies of... (More)

This essay discusses the notion of 'semiotic development in child development' and highlights potential concerns for 'psychologism' when semiotics turns into cognitive semiotics. The notion of 'semiotic development in child development' indicates a transdisciplinary approach involving both semiotics, the general study of meaning and signs, and child psychology. This, however, invites the criticism of committing the fallacy of psychologism. Piaget was aware of this dilemma when developing his theory of the semiotic function as a united capacity in children's cognitive development. Sonesson's proposal of a general definition of signs in meaning-making is suggested to, at some points, meet the dilemma with psychologism in studies of children's semiotic development. Starting from a phenomenological point of view in semiotics and integrating Piaget's theory on cognitive development and meaning-making meet the study of subjectivity in intersubjectivity. On the one hand, the sign as a theoretical object is not reducible to any given psychological process or processes; on the other hand, sign meaning can only exist if there are beings (consciousnesses) capable of grasping and using signs.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
anti-psychologism, phenomenology, Piaget, psychology, semiotic development, sign
in
Cognitive Semiotics
volume
17
issue
1
pages
15 pages
publisher
De Gruyter
external identifiers
  • scopus:85194420760
ISSN
2235-2066
DOI
10.1515/cogsem-2024-2009
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8b5fd77b-7157-4134-b921-18cfb065c12c
date added to LUP
2024-09-02 14:58:36
date last changed
2024-09-02 14:58:54
@article{8b5fd77b-7157-4134-b921-18cfb065c12c,
  abstract     = {{<p>This essay discusses the notion of 'semiotic development in child development' and highlights potential concerns for 'psychologism' when semiotics turns into cognitive semiotics. The notion of 'semiotic development in child development' indicates a transdisciplinary approach involving both semiotics, the general study of meaning and signs, and child psychology. This, however, invites the criticism of committing the fallacy of psychologism. Piaget was aware of this dilemma when developing his theory of the semiotic function as a united capacity in children's cognitive development. Sonesson's proposal of a general definition of signs in meaning-making is suggested to, at some points, meet the dilemma with psychologism in studies of children's semiotic development. Starting from a phenomenological point of view in semiotics and integrating Piaget's theory on cognitive development and meaning-making meet the study of subjectivity in intersubjectivity. On the one hand, the sign as a theoretical object is not reducible to any given psychological process or processes; on the other hand, sign meaning can only exist if there are beings (consciousnesses) capable of grasping and using signs.</p>}},
  author       = {{Lenninger, Sara}},
  issn         = {{2235-2066}},
  keywords     = {{anti-psychologism; phenomenology; Piaget; psychology; semiotic development; sign}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{05}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{157--171}},
  publisher    = {{De Gruyter}},
  series       = {{Cognitive Semiotics}},
  title        = {{Psychologism in the study of children's semiotic development}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/cogsem-2024-2009}},
  doi          = {{10.1515/cogsem-2024-2009}},
  volume       = {{17}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}