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# Psychological Functions of Semiotic Borders in Sense-Making: Liminality of Narrative Processes

## Details

**Authors** Picione and Valsiner

**Year** 2017

**Publisher** Europe's Journal of Psychology

**Discipline** Sociology

[Read it at the publisher](https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v13i3.1136) 
10.5964/ejop.v13i3.1136

## In authors' words

### Abstract

In this paper we discuss the semiotic functions of the psychological borders that structure the flow of narrative processes. Each narration is always a contextual, situated and contingent process of sensemaking, made possible by the creation of borders, such as dynamic semiotic devices that are capable of connecting the past and the future, the inside and the outside, and the me with the non-me. Borders enable us to narratively construct one’s own experiences using three inherent processes: contextualization, intersubjective positioning and setting of pertinence. The narrative process – as a subjective articulation of signs in a contingent social context – involves several functions of semiotic borders: separation, differentiation, distinction-making, connection, articulation and relation-enabling. The relevant psychological aspect highlighted here is that a border is a semiotic device which is required for both maintaining stability and inducing transformation at the same time. The peculiar dynamics and the semiotic structure of borders generate a liminal space, which is characterized by instability, by a blurred space-time distinction and by ambiguities in the semantic and syntactic processes of sensemaking. The psychological processes that occur in liminal space are strongly affectively loaded, yet it is exactly the setting and activation of liminality processes that lead to novelty and creativity and enable the creation of new narrative forms.

### What they set out to do (purpose)

Explored narrative processes as an expression of one's experiences

### What they found (results)

Distinctions are relevant in concept formation and psychosocial phenomenon.

## Commentary

### In short

Identity and other are an inherent part of everyday life, and without them the world and one's self would be drastically different.

### In more detail

Picione and Valsiner, 2017 explored narrative processes and verbal expression of one’s experiences. They observed the nature of Distinction-making in speech and the establishment of borders in language. They offer that if a border could be viewed abstractly, it would be useful in working with ideas such as the self vs “non-self”, and things like space and time. Examples of borders are shown below in Figure 10.

They also noted that borders have several functions which are, “to create a framework of sense, to diversify subjects and objects and to differentiate identities and positionings.” They viewed borders as a tool to help people Distinctions that can become difficult for people to understand, particularly the ones that help them understand themselves. Identity-other Distinctions, it seems, are as relevant to concept formation, as they are to a simple shape, the meaning of a word, personal identity (self and other), psychosocial phenomena such as us and them, the creation of an identity marketing campaign for an entire corporation, or the identity that defines the patriotism within any country. Therefore, the knowledge and awareness gained through explicating one’s identity-other Distinctions is NOT infinitesimal.

**Patterns it shows** D

**How to cite this** Picione and Valsiner (2017). Psychological Functions of Semiotic Borders in Sense-Making: Liminality of Narrative Processes. Europe's Journal of Psychology.