Psychosemiotics: communication as psychological action Marko Mili Doctor of Philosophy (Psychology) University of Western Sydney November 2008 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my gratitude to my wife Juliana Payne for her patience, accessibility for debate on all issues, practical assistance, and help in avoiding clichés like the plague. My parents Petar and Nediljka Mili shared their enthusiasm for learning and balanced their encouragement with flexibility about the direction that their influence took. My sister, Angela Mili, provided moral and practical support. To my extended family—Ante, Maria, Mirko, Lina, Kristina, Anthony, and Nikolas Mili; and Steve and Veronica Harwood—thank you for your support for this project. Thanks to Megan McDonald for helpful grammatical-stylistic suggestions and to Domagoj Veli, who has been an enthusiastic supporter of this project from the beginning. Professor Philip Bell, Professor Theo van Leeuwen, Dr Scott Mann and Dr Phillip Staines provided me with valuable opportunities to assist in teaching their courses in mass media, semiotics, social theory and the philosophy of language. This experience has significantly enhanced the present work. My supervisor, Dr Agnes Petocz, consistently provided detailed and incisive feedback throughout the conception and execution of this work. Her vision of a richer science of psychology has been inspirational for me. As co-supervisor, Professor Philip Bell has been an exemplary mentor and model for post- disciplinary research. ii STATEMENT OF AUTHENTICATION The work presented in this thesis is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, original except as acknowledged in the text. I hereby declare that I have not submitted this material, either in whole or in part, for a degree at this or any other institution. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Marko Mili --------------------------------------------------------- Date iii CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.................................................................................. ii STATEMENT OF AUTHENTICATION.......................................................... iii ABSTRACT.......................................................................................................... ix INTRODUCTION............................................................................................... 10 CHAPTER 1: A REALIST APPROACH TO SEMIOSIS.............................. 19 1.1. REALIST LOGIC ...................................................................................... 21 1.2. REALIST EPISTEMOLOGY.................................................................... 27 1.2.1 Realism versus representationism........................................................ 27 1.2.2 Realist versus correspondence theories of truth................................... 32 1.2.3. Realism versus relativism ................................................................... 36 1.2.4. Realist versus pragmatist theories of truth.......................................... 40 1.2.5. Realism versus redundancy theory ..................................................... 41 1.3 ACTION...................................................................................................... 42 1.3.1. Action versus behaviourist and “behavioural” approaches................. 46 1.3.2. Semiotic behaviour as action .............................................................. 50 1.4 INTENTION & INTENTIONALITY......................................................... 55 1.4.1. Analysis of objections to the concepts................................................ 58 1.4.2. The explanatory power of the concept of intention ............................ 63 1.5 SUMMARY................................................................................................ 67 CHAPTER 2: SEMIOSIS IN PSYCHOLOGY AND THE SOCIAL SCIENCES........................................................................................................... 69 2.1. SEMIOSIS AND QUANTITATIVE PSYCHOLOGY ............................. 69 2.1.1. Instrumentalism and operationalism ................................................... 70 2.1.2. An unsound quantitative-empirical approach ..................................... 78 2.1.3. A sound quantitative-empirical approach ........................................... 83 iv 2.2. SEMIOSIS AND THE QUALITATIVE TRADITION ............................ 93 2.2.1. A survey of qualitative-interpretative research................................... 94 2.2.2. An analysis of qualitative research terminology................................. 98 2.2.3. Six aspects of qualitative research .................................................... 102 2.2.4. Phenomenology versus realism......................................................... 118 2.2.5. Campbell’s critique of social situationism........................................ 125 CHAPTER 3: SEMIOSIS IN SEMIOTICS ................................................... 134 3.1. SAUSSURE’S COURSE IN GENERAL LINGUISTICS ......................... 135 3.2. SAUSSURIAN STRUCTURALISM ...................................................... 142 3.2.1. Reduction of semantics to syntax...................................................... 146 3.2.2. Valorisation of the arbitrary sign ...................................................... 153 3.2.3. Neglect of the sign user..................................................................... 158 3.3. FROM STRUCTURALISM TO FUNCTIONALISM ............................ 164 3.3.1. Bühler’s language functions.............................................................. 164 3.3.2. Jakobson’s functionalism.................................................................. 169 3.3.3. Halliday’s conception of function..................................................... 171 CHAPTER 4: PSYCHOSEMIOTICS ............................................................ 180 4.1. CONCEPTUALISATIONS OF THE INTERFACE ............................... 180 4.1.1. Greimas and Courtes......................................................................... 181 4.1.2. Cronkhite........................................................................................... 181 4.1.3. Lang .................................................................................................. 185 4.1.4. Smith ................................................................................................. 187 4.2. SUMMARY OF THE PSYCHOSEMIOTIC MODEL ........................... 189 CHAPTER 5: APPLICATIONS OF THE MODEL ..................................... 199 5.1. ETHNIC STEREOTYPING & ETHNOCENTRISM ............................. 199 5.1.1. The content of stereotypes ................................................................ 200 5.1.2. Stereotypes and semiotics ................................................................. 202 5.1.3. Stereotypes and psychosemiotics...................................................... 205 v 5.2. EXAMINING ETHNOMETHODOLOGY............................................. 206 5.2.1 Philosophical principles of ethnomethodology.................................. 207 5.2.2 O’Halloran’s case study of Alcoholics Anonymous.......................... 209 5.3. GAMBLING IN POPULAR CULTURE ................................................ 219 5.3.1. Structuralist semiotic analysis........................................................... 220 5.3.2. Historical analysis ............................................................................. 221 5.3.3. Psychosemiotic analysis.................................................................... 223 5.3.4. Conclusion ........................................................................................ 228 CONCLUSION.................................................................................................. 230 REFERENCES.................................................................................................. 233 vi FIGURES Figure 1: Vertical camera angle and interpersonal meaning................................. 14 Figure 2 : A triadic conceptualisation of semiosis................................................ 19 Figure 3 : The Sandler parallelogram illusion....................................................... 89 Figure 4: The Müller-Lyer illusion ....................................................................... 89 Figure 5: Bühler’s sign functions........................................................................ 166 Figure 6: A tool with a tricurvular structure ....................................................... 175 Figure 7: A tool in relation to the tool user......................................................... 176 Figure 8: A tool in relation to the user and target of action ................................ 176 Figure 9: Jakobson’s elements of communication.............................................. 224 Figure 10: Jakobson’s functions of communication ........................................... 225 vii TABLES Table 1: Grice’s classification of signs ................................................................. 65 Table 2: Markel’s levels of abstraction................................................................. 88 Table 3: Frequency of five key terms associated with qualitative research.......... 94 Table 4: Frequency of various qualitative research key words............................. 96 Table 5: Campbell and Cook’s typology of inferences....................................... 104 Table 6: Epistemological and ontological positions in research........................