Approaching aboutness by signs: studies on children’s semiotic development

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Abstract

When a young child uses a picture to identify the location of a desired object, the image not only provides a perception of familiar objects but also provides information about those objects (e.g., location), and something about the picture as a thing. This is a semiotic process of meaning-making through signs. In the realms of cognitive science and child development, this ability marks the child's transition to being "sign minded" (DeLoache) or achieving "sign function" (Piaget).In studies of ‘children’s semiotic development’, a confluence of two research traditions emerges: semiotics as influenced by psychology and psychology enriched by semiotic principles (Sebeok 1986). The seminal works of Piaget and Vygotsky have fundamentally anchored the study of semiotic development in children, marrying the concepts of cognitive development and the genesis of meaning-making within the youthful mind. Scholars such as Krampen (1981), Sonesson (1989), Bruner (1968), and Bates (1979) have paved the way for this interdisciplinary dialogue, illustrating the profound interplay between signs, aboutness, and human cognitive development throughout ontogeny. Interestingly, however, this also invites the criticism of psychologism; i.e. the mistake of identifying non-psychological (i.e. logical) with psychological entities (Kusch 2024).Moreover, anti-psychologism according to Husserl, Stjernfelt (2013) notices, is fundamental for semiotics, a general science of signs, being unmarked by any particular kind of mind. On the other hand, “aboutness” is a relation in phenomenology investigating the dimensions of givenness of objectivity to subjectivity (Moran 2005). Theoretical implications on studies on semiotic development at Cognitive Semiotics in Lund will be discussed.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - 2024-Sept
Event16th World Congress of the International Association for Semiotic Studies: Signs and Realities - University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
Duration: 2024-Sept-022024-Sept-06
Conference number: 16
https://www.semcon2024.com/

Conference

Conference16th World Congress of the International Association for Semiotic Studies
Abbreviated title IASS/AIS
Country/TerritoryPoland
CityWarsaw
Period24-09-0224-09-06
Internet address

Swedish Standard Keywords

  • Languages and Literature (602)

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