Models of semiotic borders in psychology and their implications: From rigidity of separation to topological dynamics of connectivity. (October 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: De Luca Picione, Raffaele
• Other Names: Español Alicia guest-editor.; Marsico Giuseppina guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Theory & psychology. Volume 31:Number 5(2021)
• Page Start: 729
• Page End: 745
• Publication Date: 2021-10
• Subjects: border -- Moebian topology -- psychoanalysis -- psychology -- semiotics; Psychology -- Periodicals; 150.1
• DOI: 10.1177/0959354320947184
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-3543

Abstract

In this article, I discuss some implications deriving from different models of the notion of border, starting from interdisciplinary contributions and in particular from semiotics, psychoanalysis, cultural psychology, and topology. The starting point is a reflection on the notion of sign, as a device used to realize at the same time both a first form of discretization and to instantiate a system of relations with the environment. The article goes on to describe the importance of borders for the construction of human experience and for the processes of psychic and relational development. Lastly, the differences between three different forms of conceptualizing borders are discussed: rigid boundaries, permeable boundaries, and topological boundaries of the Möbius strip type. For each of the three models, the different implications will be presented and discussed.