Chapter 9: The Process of Subjectification: Transformation Through Ambivalence

Broadly speaking, processes of internalization and externalization allow individuals to communicate with the broader cultural environment (Valsiner, 2000). This book seeks to explore more deeply one side of this exchange: The process of internalization, wherein meanings from one’s collective cultural sphere undergo subjectification, becoming part of one’s personal culture. But how exactly does subjectification occur? Toward answering this question, this chapter will offer a functional model for how meanings become subjectified, including reference to the person’s cultural context, as well as his or her past, present, and most importantly, future. Central to this model is a discussion on the ambivalences the person may experience as he or she juxtaposes any given social suggestion with more personal ideas and beliefs and imagined alternatives. It will be suggested that meaning is subjectified—acquires personal significance—as the individual works to overcome the ambivalences he or she faces. In this process, when ambivalence levels are strongest, the presence of the other becomes more central, with the person aligning his or her thoughts very much with social suggestion. In contrast, when ambivalence is not so strong, the person may make more creative changes to social suggestion, often employing circumvention strategies.