The discursive mind model

Abstract

The paper proposes the model of discursive mind and describes the cognitive architecture of the dialogically structured mind. Th e model draws on Hermans' (1999) theory of the dialogical self (DS) and Wertsch's (1991) vision of mind as a "tool kit" with socio-cultural instruments, and also on the socio-cognitive approach to personality in experimental psychology. An I-position is understood here as an active totality of experience, shaped in a particular social context and represented in a separate representation module. Th ere are many modules in the mind because in the course of socialization, the individual comes across many diff erent social contexts. Th e described model and its preliminary empirical verifi cation not only gives support to the DS theory, but can also be a leverage of its contribution to general theories of mind stemming from other theoretical traditions.