16. INFLUENCE OF SYMBOL AND SYMBOLIC MEANS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN PSYCHE IN ONTOGENESIS

As they learn the signs of language by humans, they acquire the following characteristics:

1) subject binding - signs replace the designated object, absorb its characteristics, are its speech model.

2) meaning - concentrate, summarize in themselves generalized concepts, similar in their functional purpose.

Any object is an object of a certain set of operations, values, methods used by a person, perceiving, using or referring to this object. It represents a certain value, formed in the mind of a person, attributed to this subject. The subject can not exist in the human psyche regardless of its value, but the value can replace an object, have its functions and properties.

The value develops in ontogenesis, is improved and filled with new knowledge. Initially, the meaning acquires meaning as a result of direct acquaintance with a subject, a phenomenon, a certain sign-symbolic image is attributed to it. Further, as far as familiarization with the properties and attributes of the object, the phenomenon, the value absorbs the knowledge gained. Later, as new signs are learned, they are assigned certain values, they form new values. The images, combining into a structured system, form a figurative-symbolic system of representations of memories of the past or a possible future.

The cognitive functions of a person receive proper development using symbolic-symbolic representations; his thinking acquires figurativeness and versatility. Due to the accumulation in the mind of a person of images, symbols and their inherent values, properties and functional features, a person has the opportunity to analyze the information received, draw analogies, make assumptions, and ultimately think, presenting in his mind a complete picture created from known images grouped in due course.

For the development of abilities to the knowledge of new phenomena, objects, concepts in a child, it is necessary to acquaint him with the real carrier of the meaning of this phenomenon or concept or their image. Parents (teachers) can comment on the actions that need to be performed by the child, thereby asking the right way to research this phenomenon. Over time, you need to transfer the function of speech process support to the child, switch it to independent work. After that, as a task, ask the child to comment on the work already done in the absence of the phenomenon, based on the memories, images formed in the mind. Then you can ask to draw analogies, to make assumptions about the possibility of transferring the skills obtained to work with another phenomenon. Subsequently, when analyzing the work done, the child will remember the actions taken and the conclusions made in the form of a set of images associated with this phenomenon.

G. A. Glotova in the study “The Man and the Sign” formulated theoretical propositions that explain the facts and phenomena associated with the development of the human psyche. S. V. Malanov refers to them in his book “Development of skills and abilities in children of preschool age. Theoretical and methodological materials.

The mechanisms for maintaining all basic forms of life in animals and in humans are determined, formed, fixed and transmitted by various means and methods:

1) in animals, the main forms of vital activity are determined mainly by the genetic program, which is incorporated in the organism of the animal. In humans, the basic forms of life are determined by symbolic-symbolic codes that are outside of a person and which a person must master;

2) animals have the ability to slightly modify hereditarily genetically defined forms of vital activity. In humans, genetically fixed elements of vital activity can only slightly modify the forms of vital activity given from the outside;

3) in animal species, development proceeds along the path of differentiation and the formation of sign-symbolic formations and means.

The concept of language and sign can have three interrelated meanings. Accordingly, it is necessary to distinguish three main types of symbolic-symbolic actions:

1) in a broad sense - the whole reality surrounding a person, real acts of human life activity, in which he acquires the mechanisms of his own individual life activity (other people, tools, consumer goods, etc.). Mastering the mechanisms of sign-symbolic actions of the first type is based on the vital activity of the organism itself - the mechanism of respiration, digestion, etc .;

2) in the intermediate sense - such properties of other people and objects that form the mechanisms of human analyzer-orientational activity based on the natural anatomical and physiological formations of the human body (natural speech, facial expressions, gestures, visual images, smells, emotional experiences, etc.) ). Mastering the mechanisms of the sign-symbolic actions of the second type relies on the analyzer (sense organs) level of vital activity;

3) in the narrow sense - specially selected objects external to the human body (sign-symbolic means), maximally adapted to perform and increase the efficiency of the reflective function and having only one use - to reflect something else qualitatively different (writing, mathematical, chemical and other character-symbol systems). Mastering the mechanisms of symbolic-symbolic actions of the third type is based on the inclusion of a person in active forms of communication and activity with other people. The historical development of languages ​​and signs, as well as their development by man in ontogenesis, proceeds in the direction from signs in the broad sense through signs in the intermediate sense to signs in the narrow sense.

Man as the material carrier of the methods and mechanisms of human life activity is a genetically primary “sign” for an infant. In interaction with other people, each person realizes four main interrelated functions that may be unconscious or conscious:

1) to be familiar to another person - patterns of behavior, self-regulation, lifestyle;

2) to be familiar to oneself — orientation in the mechanisms of one’s behavior;

3) to treat another person as a sign - orientation in the meaning and meaning of the behavior of another person;

4) treat yourself as a sign - orientation in the meaning and meaning of your own behavior.

Objects known by man and symbolic means begin to represent a certain single class of objects: “reflector object”. This allows the use of symbolic means for cognition of all other objects of this class.

At each historical moment, behind each significant education are the mechanisms of the best and most effective ways of working with certain objects. Such methods of activity can be internalized by the subject in different forms:

1) in the form of schemes of action with objects;

2) in the form of schemes of actions with images of objects;

3) in the form of schemes of action with external sign formations;

4) in the forms of schemes of actions with images of iconic formations.

Such schemes of action can be learned by man:

1) at the level of their reproduction and functioning;

2) at the level of their creative use, development and improvement.

The mechanism of interiorization includes:

1) the transition from collective forms of activity to individual ones: the formation of stable individual internal mechanisms for the implementation of external practical activities in the process of implementing such activities together with other people;

2) transition from material forms of actions to ideal ones: the process of transition from actions with objects to actions with their images, as well as to actions with substitutes for such actions and images - signs and symbols.