Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

“Measuring up to Measure” Dysmorphophobia as a Language Game

  • Regular Article
  • Published:
Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We look into the transformation of meanings in psychotherapy and suggest a clinical application for Wittgenstein’s intuitions concerning the role of linguistic practices in generating significance. In post-modern theory, therapy does not necessarily change reality as much as it does our way of experiencing it by intervening in the linguistic-representational rules responsible for constructing the text which expresses the problem. Since “states of mind assume the truths and forms of the language devices that we use to represent them” (Foucault, 1963, p. 57), therapy may be intended as a narrative path toward a new naming of one’s reified experiences. The clinical problem we consider here, the pervasive feeling of inadequacy due to one’s excessive height (dysmorphophobia), is an excellent example of “language game” by which a “perspicuous representation” (the “therapy” proposed by Wittgenstein in the 1953) may bring out alternatives to linguistically-built “traps”, putting the blocked semiotic mechanism back into motion.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. We obtained informed consent from the patient mentioned in the study, after fully explaining our procedure. The patient’s right to privacy has not been infringed on. No information identifying her (name, personal data) appears here: instead, ‘Roberta’ is a fictitious name.

  2. Pirandello was a very famous Italian playwright, narrator and poet, awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1934. He emphasized the multiplicity of perspectives in creating meaning; he explores the theme of personal identity, in particular the contrast between one’s appearance and the sense of one’s inner self.

References

  • American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorder (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Adams, G., & Markus, H. R. (2001). Culture as patterns: an alternative approach to the problem of reification. Culture & Psychology, 7, 283–396. doi:10.1177/1354067X0173002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Austin, J. L. (1962). How to do things with words. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bang, J. (2009). Nothingness and the human umwelt a cultural–ecological approach to meaning. IPBS: Integrative Psychological & Behavioral Science, 43, 374–392. doi:10.1007/s12124-009-9101-3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barclay, M. W. (1997). The metaphoric foundation of literal language: towards a theory of the reification and meaning of psychological constructs. Theory & Psychology, 7, 355–372. doi:10.1177/0959354397073004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bertau, M. C. (2008). Voice: a pathway to consciousness as “social contact to oneself”. IPBS: Integrative Psychological & Behavioral Science, 42(1). doi:10.1007/sl2124-007-9041-8.

  • Berger, P. L., & Luckman, T. (1966). The social construction of reality. New York: Doubleday & Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Black, M. (1979). More about metaphor. In A. Ortony (Ed.), Metaphor and thought (pp. 19–43). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bouveresse, J. (1975). Wittgenstein antropologo. In L. Wittgenstein (Ed.), Note sul “Ramo d’oro” di Frazer (pp. 57–92). Milano: Adelphi.

    Google Scholar 

  • Branco, A. U. (2009). Why dichotomies can be misleading while dualities fit the analysis of complex phenomena. IPBS: Integrative Psychological & Behavioral Science, 43, 350–355. doi:10.1007/s12124-009-9105-z.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cornejo, C. (2004). Who says what the words say? The problem of linguistic meaning in psychology. Theory & Psychology, 14(1), 5–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, D., & Potter, J. (1992). Discursive psychology. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Engelmann, A. (2008). From the terrible loneliness to the wonderful agreement of human beings. IPBS: Integrative Psychological & Behavioral Science, 42(1). doi:10.1007/sl2124-008-9053-z.

  • Faccio, E. (2007). Le identità corporee. Quando l’immagine di sé fa star male. Firenze: Giunti.

    Google Scholar 

  • Faccio, E., & Salvini, A. (2006). Le “metaforizzazioni” nelle pratiche discorsive della psicologia clinica. In E. Molinari & A. Labella (Eds.), Psicologia Clinica. Dialoghi e confronti (pp. 123–138). Milano: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fayerabend, P. K. (1976). Against method. New York: Humanities.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, M. (1963). Naissance de la clinique. Une archéeologie du regard médical. Paris: P.U.F.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freda, M. F. (2008). Narrazione e Intervento in Psicologia Clinica. Napoli: Liguori.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galli, G. (2009). Gestalt psychology, personality, phenomenal person. Gestalt Theory Phaenomenal, 1(1), 42–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gargani, A. G. (1987). Il coraggio di essere. Introduzione a L. Wittgenstein, Diari segreti (pp. 3–45). Roma-Bari: Laterza.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gentner, D., & Grudin, J. (1985). The evolution of mental metaphors in psychology: a 90-year retrospective. American Psychologist, 40(2), 181–192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gergen, K. J. (1985). The social construcionist movement in modern psychology. American Psychologist, 40(3), 266–275.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gergen, K. J. (1990). Metaphor, metatheory, and the social word. In D. Leary (Ed.), Metaphors in the history of Psychology, (pp. 267–299). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

  • Gergen, K. J. (1994). Realities and relationships, soundings in social construction. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gergen, K. J. (2009). Relational being. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gergen, K. J., & Gergen, M. (2005). La costruzione sociale come dialogo. Padova: Logos Edizioni.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glenn, A., & Hazel, R. M. (2001). Culture as patterns: an alternative approach to the problem of reification. Culture & Psychology, 7, 283. doi:10.1177/1354067X0173002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gonçalves, O. F. (1995). Cognitive narrative psychotherapy. In M. J. Mahoney (Ed.), Cognitive and constructive psychotherapies (pp. 139–162). New York: Pergamon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gonçalves, O. F., Korman, Y., & Angus, L. (2000). Constructing psychopathology from a cognitive narrative perspective. In R. A. Neimeyer & J. D. Raskin (Eds.), Constructions of disorder: Meaning making frameworks for psychotherapy (pp. 265–284). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Gonçalves, M., Matos, M., & Santos, A. (2009). Narrative therapy and the nature of innovative moments in the construction of change. Journal of Constructivist Psychology, 22(1), 1–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graham, G., & Stephens, G. L. (1994). Philosophical psychopathology. Cambridge: MIT.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grossen, M. (2010). Interaction analysis and psychology: a dialogical perspective. IPBS: Integrative Psychological & Behavioral Science, 44, 1–22. doi:10.1007/s12124-009-9108-9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hanson, N. R. (1958). Patterns of discovery. London: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrè, R., & Gillett, G. (1994). The discursive mind. Los Angeles: Sage Publication.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrè, R., & Tissaw, M. A. (2005). Wittgenstein and psychology. A practical guide. Burlington: Ashgate.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hermans, H. J. M., & Kempen, H. J. G. (1993). The dialogical self: Meaning as movement. San Diego: Academic.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hermans, H. J. M., Kempen, H. J. G., & Van Loon, R. J. P. (1992). The dialogical self: beyond individualism and rationalism. American Psychologist, 47, 23–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hu, S., & Li, X. (2009). The distance from psychological research to real life. IPBS: Integrative Psychological & Behavioral Science, 43, 149–157. doi:10.1007/s12124-009-9092-0.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Humboldt, W. V. (1999). On language. On the diversity of human language construction and its influence on the mental development of the human species. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • James, W. (1884). On some omissions of introspective psychology. In Essay in psychology (pp. 142–167). Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

  • Koestler, A. (1964). The act of creation. London: Hutchinson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kopytko, R. (2007). Philosophy and pragmatics: a language-game with Ludwig Wittgenstein. Journal of Pragmatics, 39, 792–812.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuhn, T. (1962). The structure of scientific revolutions. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1980). Metaphors we live by. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leary, D. (1990). Metaphors in the history of psychology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyra, M. C. D. P. (2010). On interaction analysis and dialogical perspective: emergent patterns of order and relational agency. IPBS: Integrative Psychological & Behavioral Science, 44, 273–280.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McNamee, S., & Gergen, K. (1992). Therapy as social construction. London: Sage Publication.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mead, G. H. (1934). Mind, self & society. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Merleau-Ponty, M. (1942). La Structure de comportement. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mininni, G. (1995). Discorsiva mente. Napoli: Edizioni Scientifiche Italiane.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mininni, G. (2003). Il discorso come forma di vita. Napoli: Guida.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mininni, G. (2010a). The method of dialogue: transaction through interaction. IPBS: Integrative Psychological & Behavioral Science, 44(1), 23–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mininni, G. (2010b). Teste e testi. Per una psicologia del significare. Roma: Aracne.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nietzsche, F. (1962). On truth and lie. In W. Kaufmann (Trans. and Ed.) The portable Nietzsche. New York: Viking. (Original work: Ueber Wahrheit und Lüge im aussermoralischen Sinne, 1873).

  • Panksepp, J. (2008). The power of the word may reside in the power of affect. IPBS: Integrative Psychological & Behavioral Science, 42(1). doi:10.1007/sl2124-007-9036-5.

  • Parker, I., Georgaca, E., Harper, D., McLaughlin, T., & Stowell-Smith, M. (1995). Deconstructing psychopathology. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinker, S. (2007). The stuff of thought. Language as a window into human nature. New York: Viking.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quine, W. V. O. (1960). Word and object. Cambridge: M.I.T.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ribeiro A. P., & Gonçalves, M. M. (2010). Maintenance and transformation of problematic self-narratives: A semiotic-dialogical approach. IPBS: Integrative Psychological & Behavioral Science, Online First™. doi:10.1007/s12124-010-9149-0.

  • Rorty, A. O. (1980). Where does the akratic break take place? Australasian Journal of Philosophy, 58(4), 333–346.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rossi-Landi, F. (1966). Per un uso marxiano di Wittgenstein. Nuovi argomenti. N.S., 1, 187–230.

    Google Scholar 

  • Salvatore, S., & Valsiner, J. (2008). Idiographic science on its way: Towards making sense of psychology. In S. Salvatore, J. Valsiner, S. Strouts, & J. Clegg (Eds.), YIS: Yearbook of idiographic science 1 (pp. 9–19). Roma: Firera.

    Google Scholar 

  • Salvini, A. (1998). Psicologia clinica. Padova: UPSEL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sass, L. A. (1999). Analyzing and deconstructing psychopathology. Theory & Psychology, 9, 257. doi:10.1177/095935439992008.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schlundt, D. G., & Johnson, W. G. (1990). Eating disorders—assessment and treatment. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shanahan, D. (2008). A view of language, emotion, and the brain. IPBS: Integrative Psychological & Behavioral Science, 42(1). doi:10.1007/sl2124-008-9052-0.

  • Sharifian, F., Dirven, R., Yu, N., & Niemeyer, S. (2008). Culture, body, and language. Conceptualizations of Internal Body Organs across Cultures and Languages. Berlin-New York: Mouton de Gruyter.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Steiner, G. (1975). After Babel. Aspects of language and translation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, C. (1971). Interpretation and the sciences of man. Review of Metaphysics, 25(1).

  • Valsiner, J. (2008). Consciousness as a process: from the loneliness of William James to the buzzing and booming voices of contemporary science. IPBS: Integrative Psychological & Behavioral Science., 42(1), 1–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valsiner, J. (2009). Integrating psychology within the globalizing world: a requiem to the post-modernist experiment with Wissenschaft. IPBS: Integrative Psychological & Behavioral Science, 43, 1–21. doi:10.1007/s12124-009-9087-x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vygotsky, L. (1934). Mind in society. Cambridge: Harvard University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watzlawick, P. (1977). Die Möglichkeit des Andersseins. Bern: Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wetherell, M. (2008). Subjectivity or psycho-discursive practices? Investigating complex intersectional identities. Subjectivity, 22, 73–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White, M., & Epston, D. (1990). Narrative means to therapeutic ends. New York: Norton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wittgenstein, L. (1921). Logisch-Philosophische Abhandlung. Annalen der Naturphilosophie, 14, 185–262. Leipzig. Proposition numbers are indicated by §.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wittgenstein, L. (1929). Philosophische grammatik. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wittgenstein, L. (1953). Philosophische Untersuchungen. Oxford: Basil Blackwell. Proposition numbers are indicated by §.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wittgenstein, L. (1980). Bemerkungen über die Philosophie der Psychologie. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Psychology, University of Padua, Via Venezia 8, 35131, Padova, Italy

    Elena Faccio

  2. Institute of Constructivist Psychology, Padua, Italy

    Chiara Centomo

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Bari, Bari, Italy

    Giuseppe Mininni

Authors
  1. Elena Faccio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chiara Centomo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Giuseppe Mininni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elena Faccio.

Additional information

Translated by Janet Sethre, Oxford School of English

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Faccio, E., Centomo, C. & Mininni, G. “Measuring up to Measure” Dysmorphophobia as a Language Game. Integr. psych. behav. 45, 304–324 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12124-011-9179-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12124-011-9179-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation