La psychologie discursive et les discours lacaniens

Abstract

ObjectivesTo present the basic principles of discursive psychology, to recall Lacan's interest and intentions in constructing the ‘mathemes’ of discourse, to compare the epistemology of the discursive model with the ‘mathemes’ of discourse in order to identify their similarities and to pinpoint their differences. MethodBased on recent articles and books, the article presents the discursive model and explains how it can be contrasted with the cognitive model. It then recalls Lacan's matrix of the four discourses and their distinction. This recall aims to summarize the epistemological implications of these ‘mathemes’ on the issues of social connection, subject, truth, and psychopathology. ResultsThe article sheds light on the meeting points between the discursive model and Lacanian discourse: the rejection of the cognitive model, the understanding of thought as discourse, the rejection of the psychological understanding of the subject, and the conviction that the truth is intrinsic to discourse. The article however also presents their radically different elements; whereas discursive psychology is a model that, until now, has not taken into account the pathologies of discourse, the ‘mathemes’ of discourse on the other hand are a construction by Lacan that is based on his experiences as a psychoanalyst. DiscussionDiscursive psychology appears as an alternative to the cognitive model that has dominated psychology and mental health milieus for several decades. Many elements of this discursive model recall psychoanalytic theories. It is therefore tempting to assimilate one to the other. While the common denominator is the understanding of thought as discourse, Lacan and psychoanalysis are also interested in the different discourses encountered in psychoanalytic clinical practice, and they try to define what could be the psychoanalytic act that could enable a change in discourse. The clinical use of the discursive model, on the other hand, remains to be defined. ConclusionThe cognitive model has shown its limits, and new psychological models are likely to develop in the years to come. Among them, the discursive model is taking on increasing importance in the social sciences. This model shows similarities with psychoanalytic theories and concepts in general and, more specifically, with the ‘mathemes’ of discourse as developed by Lacan from the 1970s onwards. The understanding of thought and language, the question of the subject and that of truth, are certainly meeting points between the cognitive model and Lacan's ‘mathemes’ of discourse. There are however also important differences and divergences between the two.