Culture as the Co-evolution of Psychic and Social Systems

New Perspectives on the Person—Environment Relationship

Bibliographic Data

ID19005064
AuthorsBeat Thommen (PHBern, University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland,, corresponding author), Alexander Wettstein (0000-0002-5612-3144, PHBern, University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland)
Year2010
Volume16
Issue2
Pages213-241
Publication date2010-05-25
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCulture & Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1354-067X • E-ISSN: 1461-7056
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/1354067x09353208
OpenAlexW2153442622
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited22

In this article we contribute a new theoretical perspective to the analysis of the relationship between individual and culture, and the person and the environment. Many hotly debated issues in cultural psychology, such as reification, the discourse of personality traits, and models of part—whole hierarchies are productively addressed. Taking a systems-theoretical approach following Niklas Luhmann and others, we distinguish three different types of system and their operational processes (biotic, psychic and social) and suggest that the person—environment relationship should be conceptualized as a process of co-evolution of psychic and social systems. We discuss the critical role of communication in this process and its implications for the concept of culture. Our own research on classroom disruptions and problem behavior in educational settings provides illustrative examples for the kinds of methodological considerations generally relevant to a systems-theoretical approach in empirical research

Empirical research · Epistemology · Personality · Psychic · Sociology · Community Health and Development · Computer Science · Cultural Differences and Values · Psychology · Social Psychology · Social Representations and Identity

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