From Internal Interlocutors to Psychological Functions of Dialogical Activity

Abstract

This article introduces four studies inspired by the theory of the dialogical self. Types of imaginary interlocutors and their psychological functions were considered in Study 1. Four basic types of interlocutors involved in internal dialogues were mentioned: Faithful Friend, Proud Rival, Helpless Child, and Ambivalent Parent. Study 2 concerned relationships among role-playing game (RPG) players and their heroes. The outcomes showed that, if the confrontation with the RPG hero was taken up, it typically led to a new insight concerning mutual connections between the player's usual self and the self of his or her hero, with a simultaneous experience of autonomy and success. Studies 3 and 4 focused on the relationships between internal dialogical activity and personality traits measured by the NEO-PI-R by Costa and McCrae (1992) Costa, P. T. and McCrae, R. R. 1992. Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R) and NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), Professional Manual. Odessa, Fl: Psychological Assessment Resources. [Google Scholar]. In Study 3 the respondents having imaginary dialogues scored lower on Assertiveness and higher on Self-Consciousness, Fantasy, Aesthetics, Feelings and Openness than those having monologues. In Study 4 the Dialogical Activity Scale (DAS) corresponded with Openness and Neuroticism, and four facets: Aesthetics, Feelings, Self-Consciousness, and Self-Discipline. The studies were discussed in terms of processes explained by the notion of the dialogical self and their connections to levels of personality described by McCrae and Costa (1999) McCrae, R. R. and Costa, P. T. 1999. “A five-factor theory of personality”. In Handbook of personality: Theory and research, Edited by: Pervin, L. A. and John, O. P. 139–153. New York: Guilford. [Google Scholar] or McAdams and Pals (2006) McAdams, D. P. and Pals, J. L. 2006. A new big five. Fundamental principles for an integrative science of personality. American Psychologist, 61: 204–217. [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar].