The unconstructed self

Journal/Book: Cult Psychol. 2000; 6: 6 Bonhill Street, London EC2a 4Pu, England. Sage Publications Ltd. 265-272.

Abstract: Postmodernism proposes that the notion of self is a cultural construction and lacks any substantive or real referent. Chandler (2000) and Shotter (2000) offer challenges to this postmodern destruction of the self. Chandler proposes that within the cultural variety of self notions there is a common theme whose characteristics are 'permanence within change' and 'sameness within becoming'. Shotter suggests that narrative structure opens up a conceptual space through which the self can be known. Support for Chandler and Shotter is provided by Neisser's notion of five kinds of information about the self and Gendlin's view that experience is more intricate and complex than the logical configurations provided by language.

Note: Article Polkinghorne DE, Univ So Calif, Div Counseling Psychol, Waite Phillips Hall 500A, Los Angeles,CA 90089 USA

Keyword(s): categorization; constructionism; postmodernism; self

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