A.N. Leontiev's Activity Theory as a Basis for Studying Altered States of Consciousness (Analysing the Dependence of Inspiration Characteristics on Types of Creative Activity)

1449

Abstract

Choosing A.N. Leontiev's activity theory as a methodological framework for their study enabled the authors to regard some of altered states of consciousness (ASC) as functional organs developing in activity and carrying out certain functions in it. Since different types of activity vary in their tasks, the authors made an assumption that in each type of activity ASC would be specific. In order to prove it they conducted a literary and empirical analysis of creative activity and characteristics of inspiration as an altered state of consciousness emerging in this activity. These characteristics are reflected in particular in subjective phenomena reported by research participants in their self-reports. Using self-report as the main research method the authors tested the hypothesis on the differences between the inspiration phenomena in various forms of creative activity (such as the activity of a modeler-designer and the activity of a pianist). Analysing the results obtained in structured interviews held in a form of a conversation proved the hypothesis and revealed specific features of inspiration in different types of creative activity.

General Information

Keywords: altered states of consciousness, activity theory, cultural-historical psychology, higher mental functions, inspiration, creative activity, self-report method

Journal rubric: Empirical Research

Article type: scientific article

For citation: Gordeeva O.V., Chetvertkova Y.V. A.N. Leontiev's Activity Theory as a Basis for Studying Altered States of Consciousness (Analysing the Dependence of Inspiration Characteristics on Types of Creative Activity). Kul'turno-istoricheskaya psikhologiya = Cultural-Historical Psychology, 2007. Vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 75–83. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

References

  1. Babaeva Yu.D., Leites N.S., Maryutina T.M. Psihologiya odarennosti detei i podrostkov. M., 2000.
  2. Bogoyavlenskaya D.B. Psihologiya tvorcheskih sposob-nostei. M., 2002.
  3. Buyakas T.M. O fenomene naslazhdeniya processom deyatel'nosti i usloviya ego vozniknoveniya // Vestn. Mosk. un-ta. Ser. 14. Psihologiya. 1995. № 2.
  4. Vudvorts R. Etapy tvorcheskogo myshleniya // Hrestomatiya po obshei psihologii myshleniya / Pod red. Yu.B. Gippenreiter, V.V. Petuhova. M., 1981.
  5. Vygotskii L.S. Myshlenie i rech' // Sobr. soch. T. 2. M., 1982.
  6. Vygotskii L.S. Pedologiya podrostka // Sobr. soch.: V 6 t. T. 4. M., 1984.
  7. Godfrua Zh. Chto takoe psihologiya. M., 1972. T. 1.
  8. Gol'denveizer A. O muzykal'nom ispolnitel'stve // Voprosy muzykal'no-ispolnitel'skogo iskusstva. M., 1958.
  9. Goncharenko N.V. Vdohnovenie i intuiciya // Psihicheskie sostoyaniya. SPb., 2001.
  10. Gordeeva O.V. Znachenie principa predmetnosti dlya ponimaniya prirody i mehanizmov izmenennyh sostoyanii soz-naniya // Uchenye zapiski kaf. obshei psihologii MGU im. M.V. Lomonosova. Vyp. 2 // Pod red. B.S. Bratusya, E.E. Sokolovoi. M., 2007. — V pechati.
  11. Gordeeva O.V. Izmenennye sostoyaniya soznaniya pri sensornoi deprivacii // Vestn. Mosk. un-ta. Ser. 14, Psihologiya. 2004. № 1, № 2.
  12. Gordeeva O.V. Kul'turno-istoricheskaya teoriya L.S. Vygotskogo kak metodologicheskaya osnova izucheniya izmenennyh sostoyanii soznaniya // Uchenye zapiski kaf. obshei psihologii MGU. Vyp. 1. M., 2002.
  13. Gordeeva O.V. Transformaciya myslitel'noi deyatel'nosti kak kriterii izmenennogo sostoyaniya soznaniya // Tvorcheskoe nasledie A.V. Brushlinskogo i O.K. Tihomirova i sovremennaya psihologiya myshleniya. M., 2003.
  14. Dormashev Yu.B., Romanov V.Ya. Psihologiya vni-maniya. M., 1999.
  15. Kozlova T.V., Il'icheva E.V. Stil' v kostyume XX veka. M., 2003.
  16. Levitov N.D. O psihicheskih sostoyaniyah cheloveka. M., 1964.
  17. Leont'ev A.N. Biologicheskoe i social'noe v psihike cheloveka // A.N. Leont'ev. Problemy razvitiya psihiki. M., 1981.
  18. Leont'ev A.N. Razvitie vysshih form zapominaniya // A.N. Leont'ev. Problemy razvitiya psihiki. M., 1981.
  19. Makedonov A.V. K metodologii izucheniya tvorcheskoi laboratorii pisatelya // Psihologiya processov hudozhestvenno-go tvorchestva. L., 1980.
  20. Maslou A. Dal'nie rubezhi chelovecheskoi psihiki. SPb., 1999.
  21. Raikov V.L. Rol' gipnoza v stimulyacii psihologicheskih uslovii tvorchestva // Psihologicheskii zhurnal. 1983. T. 4. № 1.
  22. Raikov V.L. Iskusstvo i soznanie. M., 2000.
  23. Silant'eva I.I., Klimenko Yu.G. Akter i ego Alter Ego. M., 2000.
  24. Tarakanov M.E. Zamysel kompozitora i puti ego voplosheniya // Psihologiya processov hudozhestvennogo tvorchestva. L., 1980.
  25. Tart Ch. Sostoyaniya soznaniya // Magicheskii kristall: Magiya glazami uchenyh i charodeev. M., 1992.
  26. Teplov B.M. Psihologiya muzykal'nyh sposobnostei // Psihicheskie sostoyaniya. SPb., 2001.
  27. Tihomirov O.K. Psihologicheskie issledovaniya tvorcheskoi deyatel'nosti. M., 1975.
  28. Hrenov N.A. Tvorcheskii process v kino kak ob'ekt izucheniya // Psihologiya processov hudozhestvennogo tvorchestva. L., 1980.
  29. Clarke Mc Laughlin S. The relation between physical dimensions and higher consciousness // J. of Altered States of Consciousness. 1979—1980. Vol. 5 (1).
  30. Deikman A.J. Bimodal consciousness // Arch. Gen. Psychiatry. 1971. Vol. 25, December.
  31. Farthing G.W. The psychology of consciousness. N. J., 1992.
  32. Fromm E. Primary and secondary process in waking and in altered states of consciousness // J. of Altered States of Consciousness. 1978—1979. Vol. 4 (2).
  33. Ludwig A.W. Altered states of consciousness // Altered states of consciousness: A book of reading. Ed. by C.T. Tart. N.Y., 1969.
  34. Mogar R.R. Current status and future trends in psychedelic research // Altered states of consciousness. Ed. by C.T. Tart. N.Y., 1969.
  35. Rothenberg A. Translogical secondary process cognition in creativity // J. of Altered States of Consciousness. 1978—1979. Vol. 4 (2).

Information About the Authors

Olga V. Gordeeva, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor at the Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: denisart@mtu-net.ru

Ye. V. Chetvertkova, 5th year student at the General Psychology Department at the Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia

Metrics

Views

Total: 19213
Previous month: 65
Current month: 6

Downloads

Total: 1449
Previous month: 4
Current month: 0