Conversing as Metaphor of Human Thinking: Is Mind like a Conversation?

Christine Sorsana (1, 2) , Alain Trognon (1)

1 INTERPSY - Laboratoire de psychologie de l'interaction et des relations intersubjectives
2 UT2J - Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès

How can researchers shape their ideas so that they understand the mind better? This theoretical paper discusses the merits of the conversation metaphor as a means of analyzing the human mind. We will develop arguments concerning conversation as i) a situated and distributed activity, ii) a “product” in perpetual construction, and iii) the amount of credence and belief we afford it. Finally, we will advocate for metaphorical tools that promote a more dynamic conceptualization of human thinking.

Mots clés: thinking development; conversation; mind; learning; pragmatics

Domaines: Psychologie; Psychologie

Christine Sorsana, Alain Trognon. Conversing as Metaphor of Human Thinking: Is Mind like a Conversation?. Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science, 2018, 52 (2), pp.241-256. ⟨10.1007/s12124-018-9424-z⟩. ⟨hal-03194769⟩