This volume understands itself as an invitation to follow a fundamental shift in perspective, away from the self-contained `I' of Western conventions, and towards a relational self, where development and change are contingent on otherness. In the framework of `Dialogical Self Theory' (Hermans & Hermans-Konopka, 2010; Hermans & Gieser, 2012), it is precisely the forms of interaction and exchange with others and with the world that determine the course of the self's development. The volume hence addresses dialogical processes in human interaction from a psychological perspective, bringing together previously separate theoretical traditions about the `self' and about `dialogue' within the innovative framework of Dialogical Self Theory. The book is devoted to developmental questions, and so broaches one of the more difficult and challenging topics for models of a pluralist self: the question of how the dynamics of multiplicity emerge and change over time. This question is explored by addressing ontogenetic questions, directed at the emergence of the dialogical self in early infancy, as well as microgenetic questions, addressed to later developmental dynamics in adulthood. Additionally, development and change in a range of culture-specific settings and practices is also examined, including the practices of mothering, of migration and cross-cultural assimilation, and of `doing psychotherapy'.|This volume understands itself as an invitation to follow a fundamental shift in perspective, away from the self-contained `I' of Western conventions, and towards a relational self, where development and change are contingent on otherness. In the framework of `Dialogical Self Theory' (Hermans & Hermans-Konopka, 2010; Hermans & Gieser, 2012), it is precisely the forms of interaction and exchange with others and with the world that determine the course of the self's development. The volume hence addresses dialogical processes in human interaction from a psychological perspective, bringing together previously separate theoretical traditions about the `self' and about `dialogue' within the innovative framework of Dialogical Self Theory. The book is devoted to developmental questions, and so broaches one of the more difficult and challenging topics for models of a pluralist self: the question of how the dynamics of multiplicity emerge and change over time. This question is explored by addressing ontogenetic questions, directed at the emergence of the dialogical self in early infancy, as well as microgenetic questions, addressed to later developmental dynamics in adulthood. Additionally, development and change in a range of culture-specific settings and practices is also examined, including the practices of mothering, of migration and cross-cultural assimilation, and of `doing psychotherapy'.

1.1 Weltansicht und Sprachansicht Menschen sind auf Zeichenbildung angewiesen, auf das Lesen von etwas als etwas. Dabei wird manches Zeichen, anderes nicht, denn Zeichen bilden heisst, unterscheiden. Durch die auswahlende Zeichenbildung wird Wirklichkeit er- fasst und ausgedruckt, wird sie fur Menschen erlebbar. Dieser Gedanke wird als fundamental angesehen und bildet daher den Rahmen fur die vorliegende Untersuchung. Die Zeichenbildung ist sowohl psychische als auch kommunikative Notwen- digkeit. Die Gestaltpsychologie betont die Struktur oder Organisation von sensorischen Ereignissen und stellt mit ihren Gestaltprinzipien die fundamentale Wahrnehmungsorganisation dar, womit sie auf den konstruktiven Aspekt menschlicher Wahrnehmung verweist. Aber auch weniger auf diesen Aspekt ausgerichtete Psychologien wie etwa die der Behavioristen bedie- nen sich des Zeichens, und zwar als Platzhalter fur aussere Ereignisse, die der Organismus automatisch bildet - also auch eine Form der Konstruktion. In ganz anderer Weise zeigt Freud das Funktionieren des psychischen Apparates als eine Bildung von Zeichen durch das Bewusste, die sowohl zensierend als auch ordnend wirken. Aus dieser Sicht ware die Psychose eine fehlerhafte Zeichenbildung: etwas wird gelesen, das nicht zu einer fur das Individuum sinnvollen Unterscheidung fuhrt, also so etwas wie ein inadaquates Hervorheben. Beispielsweise die Aufschrift einer Biermarke auf einem Glas, die fur das Trinken unwichtig ist; oder das Interpretieren von zufalligen Vorkommnissen als bedeutsame Zeichen. Die fehlerhafte Zeichenbildung als Lesezwang.

This volume understands itself as an invitation to follow a fundamental shift in perspective, away from the self-contained 'I' of Western conventions, and towards a relational self, where development and change are contingent on otherness. In the framework of 'Dialogical Self Theory' (Hermans & Hermans-Konopka, 2010; Hermans & Gieser, 2012), it is precisely the forms of interaction and exchange with others and with the world that determine the course of the self's development. The volume hence addresses dialogical processes in human interaction from a psychological perspective, bringing together previously separate theoretical traditions about the 'self' and about 'dialogue' within the innovative framework of Dialogical Self Theory. The book is devoted to developmental questions, and so broaches one of the more difficult and challenging topics for models of a pluralist self: the question of how the dynamics of multiplicity emerge and change over time. This question is explored by addressing ontogenetic questions, directed at the emergence of the dialogical self in early infancy, as well as microgenetic questions, addressed to later developmental dynamics in adulthood. Additionally, development and change in a range of culture-specific settings and practices is also examined, including the practices of mothering, of migration and cross-cultural assimilation, and of 'doing psychotherapy'.