Direct perception and symbol forming in positioning

Harre's positioning theory posits discourse as the concrete context within which selves are produced, but accentuates the dissociation between the phy sical engagement in a conversation and 'location' in a conceptual interpers onal space. The thesis that positioning involves selective attention, and t hat selected positions express ongoing transformations in the hearer's expe riential realm is expanded here initially by reference to Gibson's direct-p erception theory. The concepts of indexical and symbolic affordances are in troduced to describe the function of utterances in setting parameters for h earer's behavioural and social-relational engagement, respectively. This im plicates a construct of 'psychological value' (i.e., the affective intensit y and valence of elements of experience), as proposed by C. G. Jung. The es say draws attention to the idea of symbol forming as a process whereby abst ract self/world relations are articulated in one's actions and thoughts, an d in which context the 'reception' of others' actions and utterances as hav ing positioning implications may be understood.