The ‘Object’ of Insight Assessment: Relationship to Insight ‘Structure’

Abstract

Insight is a relational or 'intentional' concept, i.e., it is only understood in terms of its relation to something; and that 'something' is the 'object' of insight. In clinical practice, the 'object' of insight thus generally refers to a particular mental or physical state (e.g., mental illness, neuropsychological deficit) in relation to which insight is being assessed. It is argued in this paper that the 'object' of insight plays a crucial role in shaping or determining the sort of insight that is elicited in clinical practice (i.e., the phenomenon of insight). Three ways in which the 'object' of insight can shape the clinical phenomenon of insight are discussed. One concerns the conceptual background in which the 'object' is embedded and which is likely to impose a similar structure onto the phenomenon of insight. Another is the semantic category to which the 'object' of insight belongs and which will imprint its particular structure on the phenomenon of insight. Yet another concerns the specific nature of the 'object' which itself will shape the insight phenomenon elicited. This carries implications for research on insight, since insight tends to be explored in relation to a variety of 'objects'. Phenomena of insight in relation to different 'objects' are likely to vary in structure, and this, in turn, has consequences for mechanisms underlying insight in each case. Understanding more about the nature and contribution of the 'object' of insight in the insight-'object' relationship will help to delineate separate insight phenomena and achieve consistency in empirical studies on insight.

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