Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Preface
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Developments in self-concept theory and research: affect, context, and variability
- Commentary: the self-concept is dead, long live … which construct or process? Differentiation and organization of self-related theories
- 3 The self and emotions
- Commentary: the self and emotions
- 4 Fish, foxes, and talking in the classroom: introducing dynamic systems concepts and approaches
- Commentary: fish, foxes, identity, and emotion
- 5 A relational perspective on the development of self and emotion
- Commentary: the personal experience of coherence
- 6 Affective processes in a multivoiced self
- Commentary: affective processes in a multivoiced self in action
- 7 Old–new answers and new-old questions for personality and emotion: a matter of complexity
- Commentary: emotions as sources of information about the self
- 8 Cognitive–emotional self-organization in personality development and personal identity
- Commentary: two faces of identity
- 9 A self-organizational approach to identity and emotions: an overview and implications
- References
- Author index
- Subject index
- Titles in the series
Commentary: affective processes in a multivoiced self in action
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 October 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Preface
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Developments in self-concept theory and research: affect, context, and variability
- Commentary: the self-concept is dead, long live … which construct or process? Differentiation and organization of self-related theories
- 3 The self and emotions
- Commentary: the self and emotions
- 4 Fish, foxes, and talking in the classroom: introducing dynamic systems concepts and approaches
- Commentary: fish, foxes, identity, and emotion
- 5 A relational perspective on the development of self and emotion
- Commentary: the personal experience of coherence
- 6 Affective processes in a multivoiced self
- Commentary: affective processes in a multivoiced self in action
- 7 Old–new answers and new-old questions for personality and emotion: a matter of complexity
- Commentary: emotions as sources of information about the self
- 8 Cognitive–emotional self-organization in personality development and personal identity
- Commentary: two faces of identity
- 9 A self-organizational approach to identity and emotions: an overview and implications
- References
- Author index
- Subject index
- Titles in the series
Summary
Introduction
The theoretical framework of Hermans and Hermans-Jansen, including the so-called valuation theory, is grounded in James' well-known I–Me concept of the self with the I as the reflecting “self-as-knower” and the Me as the reflected “self-as-known.” An important aspect of this view is that the Me is much wider than the mere result of reflection on the self (in its narrow sense); it also contains the whole social and material world which has a certain personal value and affective significance for the person. This view implies an I–world connection with a strong and complex relational and affective component in the self-reflecting person in present, past, and future situations. Hermans and Hermans-Jansen: “With its reflectivity and I–world connection, the self evokes complexities of similar, different, and contrasting feelings, which together form highly dynamic structures” (p. 122).
An original turn (inspired by Sarbin) is the interpretation of the self as a sort of narrative psychodramatic system in which the I and the Me function as “author” and “observed actor” respectively. The self as author (the I) constructs an imaginary story in which the Me functions as (1) the protagonist, and (2) other figures that are part of Mine as antagonists (or imaginal others e.g. father, sister, partner). I presume that Hermans and Hermans-Jansen do not restrict these antagonists to significant others but include the whole social and material world to which the I attributes a personal affective value.
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- Information
- Identity and EmotionDevelopment through Self-Organization, pp. 141 - 150Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2001
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