Understanding the Role of Emotion in Sense-making. A Semiotic Psychoanalytic Oriented Perspective

We propose a model of emotion grounded on Ignacio Matte Blanco’s theory of the unconscious. According to this conceptualization, emotion is a generalized representation of the social context actors are involved in. We discuss how this model can help to better understand the sensemaking processes. For this purpose we present a hierarchical model of sensemaking based on the distinction between significance—the content of the sign—and sense—the psychological value of the act of producing the sign in the given contingence of the social exchange. According to this model, emotion categorization produces the frame of sense regulating the interpretation of the sense of the signs, therefore creating the psychological value of the sensemaking.

Sergio SalvatoreEmail:

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Sergio Salvatore   is Full Professor of Dynamic Psychology at University of Salento (Lecce, Italy); Chairperson of the “Psychological Sciences and Techniques” Degree Course Council. Director of the Doctoral Course in Clinical Psychology. Director of the Doctoral Course in Sciences of the Mind and Human Relations. Co-editor of the following peer reviewed Journals: European Journal of School Psychology; Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science; Psicologia Scolastica. Associate Editor of RPC Rivista Psicologia Clinica—RPC Review of Clinic Psychology. Member of the Advisor Board of various peer-reviewed Journals: His scientific interests regard the theory and the analysis of psychological intervention in clinical, scholastic, organizational and social fields. He takes also an interest in psychodynamic theorization of mental processes and in methodology of empirical analysis of socio-symbolic dynamics. On these issues he has designed, manage various scientific projects and he published 11 volumes (5 as co/editor) and over 100 articles on Italian and international Journals. Address: Department of Educative, Psychologist and Teaching Science, Via Stampacchia, 45, 73100 Lecce—e.mail: sergio.salvatore@unile.ateneo.it Claudia Venuleo   is Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology at University of Salento (Lecce, Italy). At the present she teaches Health Psychology at the Faculty of Educational Science at the same University. She is professor at the school of Specialization in Groups Psychotherapy “Iter” (Rome, Italy). She is Professor at the school of Specialization in Psychodynamic and Socio-costruttivist Psychotherapy “PPSISCO” (Lecce, Italy). She is also trainer at other courses of improvement and specialization in psychology on issues related to theory of technique of clinical psychological intervention in scholastic, organizational and social fields. Her clinical and research interests regard the methodological implications of a socio-constructivist and psychoanalytical approach to social-cultural instances, as well as to research and training; the clinical psychological use of the accounts; the cultural models of outsiders social groups. On these issues she has published three volumes and about twenty-five scientific papers in national and international journals. Address: Department of Educative, Psychologist and Teaching Science, Via Stampacchia, 45, 73100 Lecce—e.mail: claudia.venuleo@ateneo.unile.it