Chapter 8 - Meanings and Knowledge as Semiotic Processes

Summary

8. From early formulations of this theory, Moscovici viewed ‘meaning’ and ‘knowledge’ as semiotic processes and expressed them as a triadic model in two formulations. The two formulations of the triadic model are complementary. First, in the figurative equation ‘representation = figure/signification’, Moscovici foregrounded the infinite meaning- and knowledge-making processes of social representations through objectification and anchoring. The figurative equation can be represented as a triad involving representation, figure, and signification. Both Peirce’s and Moscovici’s triadic models form wholes in which their elements are linked in and through indivisible relations. Signs and symbols are expressed through various means, among which name-giving is particularly notable. Changing the name implies a symbolic effort to change the identity of the bearer of that name and signifies the Self’s attempt to belong to a group or to specific Others. Divergencies between ‘meanings’ and ‘knowledge’ in professional practices have the potential to inspire intervention practices in fields such as health, education, and therapies.

The second formulation of the triadic model is expressed in the Ego–Alter–Object, which refers to the theory of social representations and communication as a theory of social knowledge.