The Self Between Cacophony and Monologue: A Conceptualization and Empirical Examination of Dialogical Complexity

Theory of dialogical self distinguishes between cacophonous, monological, and dialogical structure of the self. So far these structures have not been examined within systematic quantitative studies. Focusing on this issue, we conceptualized the three structures as degrees on a dimension of dialogical complexity. To assess dialogical complexity, we proposed a numerical index derived from the personal position repertoire and examined it empirically. We compared the index of dialogical complexity with indices of cognitive complexity (derived from the repertory grid technique), integrative complexity, and presence of dialogical relationships in narratives (both derived from the thematic apperception test). In our sample of a total of 60 nonclinical respondents, the index of dialogical complexity was not correlated with cognitive complexity. It was weakly negatively but significantly correlated with integrative complexity. Respondents who yielded a higher score of dialogical relationships in narratives formed the dialogical structure of the self according to the dialogical complexity index. Respondents who yielded less dialogical relationships in narratives obtained a wider range of dialogical complexity scores that indicated more cacophonous or monological structures. We conclude that the relationships with integrative complexity and with presence of dialogical relationships in narratives support the original conceptualization of dialogical complexity. However, due to limitations of the study, the results are not decisive, and further examination of dialogical complexity including clinical samples is needed.     

放弃独白,构造对话——整体论的医学人文素质教育途径

解决我国现代医学人文素质教育课堂与实践的脱节这一问题的重要途径,是构建整体论医学人文素质教育模式:弱化医学规范理性对人文素质教育的强约束,放弃独白;发掘医学科学理性教育中的人文素质内涵,构造对话;推进医学科学教育与人文教育的融合,整体论思想.     

新生儿疾病诊治中的几个认识问题

随着科技的进步和发展,现代化的辅助检查仪器和生化检测手段的引入给新生儿科医生带来很大的帮助,但我们不能过分的依赖,这就要求新生儿科医生有一个十分清晰、十分正确的临床思维,而这种临床思维的培养除需要丰富的医学知识作基础,还需要哲学的辩证思维来指导.     

The Shift from Monologue to Dialogue in a Couple Therapy Session: Dialogical Investigation of Change from the Therapists’ Point of View

As part of a larger research project on couple therapy for depression, this qualitative case study examines the nature of dialogue. Drawing on Bakhtinian concepts, the investigation shows how the conversation shifts from a monologue to dialogue. Among the findings are: first, the process of listening is integral to the transforming experience. That is, the careful listening of the therapist can evoke new voices, just as the experience of one of the partners’ “listening in” to the conversation between the other partner and the therapist can create movement and new trajectories. The latter is a qualitative difference between dialogic therapy with a couple and that with an individual. Second, the therapist not only acts as creative listener, but as the dialogue unfolds, actively contributes to meaning‐making. Third, the study upholds having a team of researchers as a polyphonic forum and the usefulness of Bakhtinian concepts in clinical research on dialogue in multi‐actor sessions.     

A note on reliability

A formula for internal consistency reliability is developed within the framework of the analysis of variance. The test items are assumed to be homogeneous, but may have any weights. Data needed for computation are the student test scores, and the total number of items answered so as to have the same weight. It is shown that this formula reduces to the Kuder-Richardson (21) for item weights of one and zero. Some empirical validation is offered.Social Security Board (on military leave.)     

A Primer on Unemployment

This article discusses the definition and causes of unemployment, national unemployment rates since 1929, and workers who typically experience the highest incidence of job loss.