Fernando González Rey

A Re-examination of Defining Moments in Vygotsky's Work and Their Implications for His Continuing Legacy

This article argues for the idea of different moments in Vygotskys work while highlighting combinations of ideas and concepts that were particularly emphasized in distinct moments of his work. After Vygotskys death, these moments were not considered a theoretical system in development, either in former Soviet psychology or in Western interpretations of his work. Vygotskys legacy seems to have been mostly reduced to one concrete focus of his work, mistakenly identified as cultural-historical theory. The overemphasis of selected aspects of Vygotskys work resulted in an overshadowing of other ideas that have remained relatively “unknown” until fairly recently. In this article, previously underemphasized elements in Vygotskys psychology, such as emotions, fantasy, imagination, personality, and the generative character of human psyche, are emphasized. A consideration of these elements offers new and refreshing alternatives to Vygotskys legacy. These previously underemphasized elements are markedly represented in Vygotskys first and third moments. Furthermore, in the third and final moment of his work, the category of sense opened up a completely new perspective for a systemic and complex approach to understanding the human mind.

A new path for the discussion of Social Representations: Advancing the topic of subjectivity from a cultural-historical standpoint

This article discusses a new approach to subjectivity from a cultural-historical standpoint and the possible links that this new definition could have with the theory of Social Representation (SR). One of the facets of this cultural-historical approach to subjectivity that makes this dialogue with SR theory possible is that subjectivity in this definition does not constrain individual phenomena. Rather, subjectivity as it is defined in this paper is a new ontological definition of human phenomena, whether social or individual, that brings into light the symbolical-emotional character of human phenomena. The concepts that shape Social Representation Theory as subjective configurations are discussed, as well as the consequences of this definition for the development of psychological theory. Social representation, as is assumed within the present paper, might be considered an important building block for the further advancement of a definition of subjectivity that is not exhausted by individual subjectivity.This article discusses a new approach to subjectivity from a cultural-historical standpoint and the possible links that this new definition could have with the theory of Social Representation (SR). One of the facets of this cultural-historical approach to subjectivity that makes this dialogue with SR theory possible is that subjectivity in this definition does not constrain individual phenomena. Rather, subjectivity as it is defined in this paper is a new ontological definition of human phenomena, whether social or individual, that brings into light the symbolical-emotional character of human phenomena. The concepts that shape Social Representation Theory as subjective configurations are discussed, as well as the consequences of this definition for the development of psychological theory. Social representation, as is assumed within the present paper, might be considered an important building block for the further advancement of a definition of subjectivity that is not exhausted by individual subjectivity.

Vygotsky’s Concept of Perezhivanie in The Psychology of Art and at the Final Moment of His Work: Advancing His Legacy

ABSTRACTThis article discusses Vygotsky’s definitions of the concept of perezhivanie, its contradictions, and gaps. The concept of perezhivanie was first discussed by Vygotsky (1965) in The Psychology of Art, and later in 1933–1934 he returns to its discussion. The different meanings of the concept are discussed throughout the present article. Despite the vagueness in the definition of the psychological nature of perezhivanie, the ideas developed by Vygotsky regarding this concept represented an advance in the study of motivation and psychological development in Soviet psychology. At the same time, the concept was an important premise for the study of subjectivity.ABSTRACT This article discusses Vygotsky’s definitions of the concept of perezhivanie, its contradictions, and gaps. The concept of perezhivanie was first discussed by Vygotsky (1965) in The Psychology of Art, and later in 1933–1934 he returns to its discussion. The different meanings of the concept are discussed throughout the present article. Despite the vagueness in the definition of the psychological nature of perezhivanie, the ideas developed by Vygotsky regarding this concept represented an advance in the study of motivation and psychological development in Soviet psychology. At the same time, the concept was an important premise for the study of subjectivity.

Reflexões sobre o social e o individual na experiência do câncer

In this paper we discuss the subjective processes that constitute the basis of aspects of individual and social subjectivity in the experience of a patient with cancer, based on the understanding of subjectivity from a historical-cultural stand point. This research was carried out through the case study of a person who had cancer. The analyses was oriented on a qualitative methodology of a constructive-interpretative nature, the qualitative epistemology proposed by Gonzalez Rey. In the process of building up information different hypoteses arise and are organized on indicators constructed by the researchers that are the basis for the theoretical constructions. In this analysis, its possible to understand the different subjective aspects that constitute the processes of health and illness.

Encontro da psicologia social brasileira com a psicologia soviética

The present paper discusses the link between Lanes theory and soviet authors, particularly Vygotsky and Leontiev. In this paper the different moments of Lanes thinking specifying her contributions for the develop- ment of a social psycology involved with Brazilian reality as well as the elaboration of categories and problems of general relevance to psychology are analyzed.

La afectividad desde una perspectiva de la subjetividad

A reflexao apresentada pelo autor tem como ponto de partida o conceito de subjetividade, o qual retoma desde uma perspectiva complexa, dialogica e dialetica, na qual a subjetividade se define pelos processos de significacao e sentido subjetivo que caraterizam ao sujeito, a personalidade e as diferentes instâncias sociais nas quais o sujeito atua. A necessidade se apresenta em um relacionamento recorrente com as emocoes, no qual ambas aparecem em momentos diferentes como causas e produtos das relacoes que estabelecem entre si. O motivo e definido como configuracao constituinte da personalidade e, simultaneamente, como sistema por ela constituido.

Subjectivity and discourse: Complementary topics for a critical psychology

This paper aims to discuss the rejection of subjectivity by psychologists dominantly oriented towards concepts like discourse and deconstruction, as well as communicative and relational activities....

Advances in Subjectivity from a Cultural-Historical Perspective: Unfoldings and Consequences for Cultural Studies Today

This chapter outlines a general picture of the phenomenon of subjectivity in Soviet psychology. In order to do this, the author organised a non-conventional group of authors, who came from different traditions of Soviet psychology and made important contributions for development of the topic of subjectivity from a cultural-historical standpoint. These traditions that historically were presented as excluded to one another, by the classical soviet’s official historiography, are discussed in their point of contact and in their complementation as the basis for developing a new representation of subjectivity. It also presents the turn toward the study of the consciousness and symbolical realities of authors who appeared as being followers of the Activity Theory in early moments of their work (Davydov 2002; Zinchenko 2009). After drawing such a picture about the phenomenon of Soviet psychology related to the antecedents of subjectivity, the author develops on his theoretical proposal about subjectivity. He develops a representation of subjectivity as a system that permits to understand how the historical experiences and the simultaneous contexts of the individual current’s life experiences appear together in a new units of subjectivity, defined by the author in the intertwined movements between subjective configurations and subjective senses. Finally it discussed the relevance of dialogue for this proposal about subjectivity. On this matter, the author establishes the differences between this proposal and those that characterise the dialogical psychology.

Perezhivanie, Emotions and Subjectivity: Setting the Stage

This chapter captures and explores three key themes relevant to the concepts of emotions, perezhivanie and subjectivity . In analysing and transcending how these concepts have been primarily discussed is the past, this chapter goes beyond social determinism and theorises how a cultural-historical perspective on these concepts has led to new understandings of the human psyche. Rather than examining emotions, perezhivanie and subjectivity as the result of internalised operations, this chapter puts forward the view that these concepts must be studied as a generative system inseparable from the individual. In advancing upon the original writings of Vygotsky and others who have followed this theoretical tradition, it is argued that all three concepts are inseparable from the complex network within which human activities and human relationships form and develop. It is through understanding the human psyche as the unity of social, personal and environmental characteristics, that it becomes possible to advance on the essence of the three concepts that are the focus of this book, and thereby generate new understandings of what might constitute a contemporary reading of perezhivanie, emotions and subjectivity.

The Relevance of the Concept of Subjective Configuration in Discussing Human Development

The topic of human psychological development has frequently been dealt with by general individualistic, teleological and moralistic theories. However, within Soviet psychology, Vygotsky and Bozhovich advanced theoretical alternatives for the study of psychological development, in which the concepts of perezhivanie and social situation of development were central. The importance of that legacy opened new ways of understanding the subjective side of psychological development. The focus of this chapter is to advance a comprehension of subjective development, on the basis of concepts that permit to integrate the diversity of social and cultural conditions of experience into processes and subjective units (subjective senses and subjective configurations), which emerge not as reflection of those social and cultural conditions, but as new qualitative subjective productions. The chapter presents two case studies, one about learning difficulties and the other about severe mental health problems. These case studies show that singularity is not reduced to an individualistic approach. Moreover, they evidence that the emergence of new subjective senses and configurations is closely related to the creation of new spaces of social integration characterised by a dialogical communication, which, in turn, is a condition for the emergence of affective processes. The concept of subjective configuration is presented as an attempt to define a unit of subjective functioning that allows us to overcome the dispersive taxonomy which characterises the history of developmental psychology.