The process of knowledge acquisicion in the blind: of the body universe from symbolic universe / Os Caminhos da aquisição do conhecimento e a cegueira: do universo do corpo ao universo simbólico
AUTOR(ES)
Eliana Maria Ormelezi
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO
2000
RESUMO
The aim of this research is to investigate the process of knowledge acquisicion in the blind concerning the mental representations - images, as well as the concepts - they have related to the world of objects, situations, events and human relatioships. It is based on the following questions which emerged from the period of twenty years of professional practice in the field of educational and clinical psychology: - how do congenitally blind form the mental images and the concepts related to objects, situations and events? - how do they acquire knowledge on things in the world which are not easily perceived through their perception? - What are the factors that do contribute to the formation of their corporal image and what may give them his self awareness? Five congenitally blind adults, between 19 and 44 years, without any other disability to blindness, with medium and superior education level, belongin to the medium and high social classes, were interviewed for this investigation. The interview modality was the semi-structured, and it investigated the participantsimages and concepts such as: the sun, the moon, the clouds, the stars, the mountain, the mirror and others referring to the own person including easily perceived through their perception. The analysis of the accounts of the interviews revealed convergences on the participantsexperiences. This study was based on a qualitative research approach to gather the data and a phenomenological method to analyse this data, revealing the meanings which emerged from the intervieweesreports. Therefore it brings to light the paths the blind have been going through emphasizing their ways of acquiring the knowledge about the world and the universe of their own body provided by their tactile, kinaesthetic, auditory and olfactory perceptions, mainly the symbolic universe where the concrete experience is mentally represented mediated by language and affectivity. The theoretical framework rested on the cognitive referencial. Several existing studies were taken into consideration, mainly the ones on Piaget, the comparison between the blind and sighted people, Vygotskythoughts on social interactio, and Wallon who identifies the affectivity in the formation of the subject. On the whole, this study aims at promoting some reflections for professionals who work with the blind concerning the singularity of the blindness in the process of knowledge acquisition.
ASSUNTO(S)
concepts formation and congenital blindness formação de conceitos e cegueira congênita language and congenital blindness linguagem e cegueira congênita
