Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Allameh Tabatabei University
Abstract
The theories in psychology according to their philosophical assumptions, emphasis in diverse determinants for the explanation of the behavior and the nature of the mind. Some of them concentrate on the external, objective world and consider the external factors as the most effective factors in shaping the behavior and the others, believe human being lives in a highly personal, subjective world of experience that has the major influence upon his behavior. It seems we can consider the third factor beside these two factors (i. e. personal-subjective factors and external, objective factors) which is independent from them but influencing on them. This social factor is language which is so important in shaping the behavior. Then, the present study is intended to investigate Rumi's view on the role of language in determining of mental state and human behavior.Our research method is qualitative content analysis, a research method for the objective and qualitative interpretation of the content of text data through the systematic process. In Rumi’s view, the mind essentially is not Separable from the language. Awareness has lingual nature and mental activities such as perception, thought and cognition occur in language. The language determines the form of meaning and individuals shape their experiences of reality thorough the meanings created in the language. Language also directs imagination and dominates it and also affects the body. Hence, it can be said that language is the main determinant of behaviour and mental condition and the method of study human issues is linguistic and narrative analysis.In Rumi's view, virtual language especially story and narrative has considerable and important role in shaping the meaning and the content of the mind and awareness has narrative structure. Essence of human has linguistic structure and he acts in terms of his linguistic circumstances. Language is the third world which is located between subjective and objective worlds and provides the possibility of their association and mediated between them. Hence, it can be argued that the subject of psychology is not mind and mental activity nor behavior but language. Because what we call mind is not separate from language and mental process is indeed linguistic activity and basic determinant in shaping behavior, is language. Then in order to understand human, we must study language.
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