Culture & Psychology 2019, Vol. 25(4) 429–469

In this paper, Jaan Valsiner looks back at 25 years of Cultural Psychology and the place of Dialogical Self Theory in this branch of Psychology.

Abstract

In this article, I review main directions in innovative ideas that have been presented on the pages of Culture & Psychology over its 25 year history. The field of cultural psychology has become established and gains increasing prominence over the years covered—yet its future depends on careful development of the specific theoretical ideas catalyzed by the use of the hyper-term culture in the different arenas of concrete human psychology. Potential future ideas for cultural psychology include a move from acculturation to proculturation, modulation of psychological distance by signs, building models of dialogical relationships in socially asymmetric role relations, and of the affective textures of everyday living. These are all processes of higher-order complexity that require new ways of conceptualizing methodology in psychology—one that prioritizes theoretically based methods construction over those of consensually established “tool boxes.” Cultural psychology has the advantage over other areas of psychology to consider both the real and not (yet) real human conditions within the same scheme, thus allowing for conceptualization of highest forms of human creativity in ordinary human lives.

Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1354067X19872358