Interpretation and explanation of unconscious processes and phenomena in different spheres of human life as a constructivist standpoint

Abstract

This article touches upon one of the peculiarities of modern psychology – a shift away from the natural scientific paradigm and transition towards constructivist methodology. Constructivism in psychology is characterized by relativity of truth, prevalence of subjective over objective, conditionality of cognition of characteristics of a subject, activity of an individual in cognition and being, construction of own reality by an individual. The author addresses the problem of studying the unconscious and suggest applying the constructivist paradigm in the research. It is substantiated that constructivism is one of the most effective approaches towards studying the unconscious, as peculiarities of the unconscious comply with the provisions of constructivism: a crucial role on the unsconsious is played by fantasies, affinities and emotional processes; structure of the unconscious is inexact and cannot be reduced to specific elements; the unconscious is flexible and develops in accordance with its own logic. Analysis is conducted on foreign studies on the unconscious that are based on constructivism. The scientific novelty consists in substantiation of application of the constructivist approach in psychology towards examining the unconscious, as well as in carrying out an analytical review of modern foreign research dedicated to the problem of the unconscious, leaning on the provisions of constructivism. The author concludes on the prevalent trends in foreign constructivist psychology of the unconscious: the focus on irrational, non-objectivist theories in explaining the unsconsious; a desire to make psychoanalysis a general psychological theory; acknowledgement of the unsconsious side of mental activity as the leading, as it is capable of more effective information processing; the unsconsious mechanisms of communication and joint activity play a significant role in establishing an in-depth personal dialogue. Psychological practice assigns a leading role to the unconscious; moreover, this aspect becomes central in social and ethnological research. Based on the theoretical overview of foreign studies, the effectiveness of application of constructivism in psychology is underlined.