Psychological Functions of Semiotic Borders in Sense-Making: Liminality of Narrative Processes

Abstract: 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. Th.... https://ejop.psychopen.eu/index.php/ejop/article/view/1136

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Psychological Functions of Semiotic Borders in Sense-Making: Liminality of Narrative Processes ; volume:13 ; number:3 ; day:31 ; month:08 ; year:2017 ; Europe's journal of psychology ; 13, Heft 3 (31.08.2017)

Contributors, Places and Time

• Creator: Raffaele De Luca Picione ; Jaan Valsiner

Further information

• DOI: 10.5964/ejop.v13i3.1136
• URN: urn:nbn:de:101:1-2020101417085104386868
• Rights: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 14.08.2025, 11:00 AM CEST