a b s t r a c tBased on a newly conceptualized notion of the dialogical self, achieved by integrating Bakhtin's philosophical anthropology and Karmiloff-Smith's Representational Redescription model into the existing notion proposed by Hermans and colleagues, the present study focuses on examining the role of The Ox-Herding Pictures in cultivating the dialogical self. Methodologically, this study adopted the cultural-historical perspective and microdevelopmental approach of Vygotsky. In-depth case studies consisting of six interrelated phases of interviews and written responses were conducted. The results show that such a unique cultural sign had different mediation effects upon subjects of different backgrounds. Two examples of considerable mediation effects are presented in more detail. A hermeneutical examination of this cultural object switched to a kind of self-representation in all cases, while the selfrepresentation of all subjects developed from a less explicit to a more explicit level. Development of the dialogical self was characterized by its diversity in form and richness regarding content. k e y w o r d s : dialogical self, philosophical anthropology of Bakhtin, Representational Redescription model, The Ox-Herding Pictures, sign mediation Inspired by William James ' (1983 [1890]) idea of the multiplicity of self and Mikhail Bakhtin's (1988Bakhtin's ( [1934Bakhtin's ( -1935Bakhtin's ( ], 1989aBakhtin's ( [1929 notion of the polyphonic novel, Hubert Hermans and colleagues crystallized their understanding of the self in a new construct they called the "dialogical self" and applied it in the research and practice of psychotherapy (see Hermans et al. 1992;