Main Article Content

Suggestion in context: psychopathology as invited behaviour: review


David P Fourie

Abstract

Recent work has shown that suggestion is not a simple, unidirectional technique to influence people. It can best be understood as a multifaceted and recursive linguistic process which is contextual in nature. Using a social constructionist point of departure this article examines this verbal and non-verbal linguistic event and shows that suggestion occurs as a co-constructed context of invitation. The emergence of psychopathology is used to illustrate the process and the implications of this view for both psychological and medical treatment are highlighted.


Key Words: Indirect suggestion; Suggestibility; Context of meaning; Co-construction; Attributions of meaning


OPSOMMING

Onlangse werk het aangedui dat suggestie nie ‘n eenvoudige eenrigting-tegniek is om mense te beïnvloed nie. Dit kan ten beste verstaan word as ‘n veelvlakkige en rekursiewe linguistiese proses wat kontekstueel van aard is. Hierdie artikel ondersoek hierdie verbale en nie-verbale linguistiese gebeurtenis vanuit ‘n sosiaal-konstruksionistiese vertrekpunt en wys hoe suggestie optree as ‘n geko-konstrueerde konteks van uitnodiging. Die voorkoms van psigopatologie word gebruik om die proses te illustreer en die implikasies van hierdie siening vir sowel sielkundige as mediese behandeling word uitgelig.



Health SA Gesondheid Vol.9(3) 2004: 28-33

Journal Identifiers


eISSN: 2071-9736
print ISSN: 1025-9848