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Re: [xmca] Generalization Is Not Abstraction Again



Martin, on the interesting chart you modified from de Rivera (1977) with the 12 pairs of subject/object interpersonal movement of emotions. It seems to deal with emotions in a decontextualized way - we don't see the situations that create these responses. Am I correct in that observation? The pairings it depicts are thought-provoking, but I don't understand some or most of them. The whole subject- object structure confuses me. The premise of the chart that emotions are a way of being engaged in the world, and that emotions are rational, or have rationality, makes sense - I am ok with that - but I don't see how this chart is connected to the world - it seems to detach emotions from their context. I just see an interesting list of oppositions and groupings of emotions without explanation. So I seem to be missing something. Could you explain this chart a little?

On the topic in this thread, I agree with David K that abstraction and generalization are two different processes. I am not convinced yet that Vygotsky was always clear on that distinction - he seems to conflate the two in Ch 5 in some places, for example, but seems to have found great relief when he solved new aspects of this question in Ch 6, criticizing the block experiments and their thinking at the time for some important limitations in this regard. At the same time, David points out the great pressures bearing down on psychologists and pedologists in the early 1930's, greatly distorting that conversation. Lots of puzzles to work out in that Ch 5 to Ch 6 transition on concept formation theory.

- Steve


On Jul 5, 2010, at 3:30 PM, Martin Packer wrote:

On Jul 5, 2010, at 4:58 PM, Martin Packer wrote:

an emotion is an interpersonal movement.
systematic structure to the emotions, captured in the diagrams with dimensions of intimacy, status, and openness. there is a rationality to emotion - emotion is a way of being engaged and involved in the world.
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