Contributions for Modeling the Psychotherapeutic Process of Change

This paper provides an analysis of a basic assumption grounding the clinical research: the ontological autonomy of psychotherapy-based on the idea that the clinical exchange is sufficiently distinguished from other social objects (i.e. exchange between teacher and pupils, or between buyer and seller, or interaction during dinner, and so forth). A criticism of such an assumption is discussed together with the proposal of a different epistemological interpretation, based on the distinction between communicative dynamics and the process of psychotherapy-psychotherapy is a goal-oriented process based on the general dynamics of human communication. Theoretical and methodological implications are drawn from such a view: It allows further sources of knowledge to be integrated within clinical research (i.e. those coming from other domains of analysis of human communication); it also enables a more abstract definition of the psychotherapy process to be developed, leading to innovative views of classical critical issues, like the specific-nonspecific debate. The final part of the paper is devoted to presenting a model of human communication--the Semiotic Dialogical Dialectic Theory--which is meant as the framework for the analysis of psychotherapy.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

Psychotherapy Research Needs Theory. Outline for an Epistemology of the Clinical Exchange

Salvatore¹

2011

“…The following pattern appears as a hypothetical pattern of coherent or enabling mutual in-feeding (Valsiner, 2002; see also Freda, 2011;Lyra, 2011;Ribeiro & Gonçalves, 2011). I as depressed (with I as sad as a possible variation) ßà I as resentful.…”

Section: A Brief Example Of a Microanalysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Positioning Microanalysis: Studying the Self Through the Exploration of Dialogical Processes

Salgado

Cunha

Bento

2013

Self-multiplicity is a widely recognized phenomenon within psychology. The study of how self-continuity emerges amidst self-multiplicity remains a crucial issue, however. Dialogical approaches are widely viewed as suitable for developing this field of study but they demand coherent methods compatible with their theoretical bases. After reviewing the available methods for the study of the dialogical self, as well as other dialogical methods for the study of psychotherapy, we conclude that we still lack a method which can be used by external observers and is devoted to the systematic tracing of the dialogical dynamics of self-positions as they unfold over time. A new method, positioning microanalysis, is described in detail as a possible way to overcome current limitations in methods focused on the dialogicality inherent in selfhood processes. Positioning microanalysis takes a genetic-developmental perspective on dialogical processes in the self and allows for the depiction of microgenetic movements of self-positions over time and the establishment of more or less stable sequences or patterns of positions. This is illustrated by its application to an emotion-focused therapy session.

Particularities and Universalities of the Emergence of Inductive Generalization

Navarro

Rodríguez-Burgos

2014

Inductive generalization is the primary way by which human beings arrive at the construction of knowledge. Usually, it is assumed that it operates in a linear manner-each new feature becomes "piled up" in the inductive accumulation of evidence. We question this view, and otherwise claim that inductive generalization is essentially a non-linear dynamic process that fits the theoretical premises of the Dynamic Systems Theory. In our study, we explore the ability that young infants have when making inductive generalizations -previous studies show the existence of this capacity not earlier than at the age of 14 months. These studies have been cross-sectional in nature, but they do not offer an answer to the question of emergence of cognitive capabilities, therefore, a short-term longitudinal study is needed. Based on 3 case studies carried out longitudinally in infants ranging from 9 to 14 months, we demonstrate how the process of inductive generalization occurs from a conceptualization of nonlinear dynamic systems. We use Min - Max and State Space techniques, which allow us to show how the infant uses diverse pathways of actions with everyday objects to facilitate inductive generalization. The identified paths are not the same, they present differential and common moments that confirm the dynamic nature of development, and provide empirical evidence on the emergence of non-linear, non-sequential or inductive generalization.