Waves and Streams of Symbolization: Notes on the Development of Symbolic Capacities in Young Children

Abstract

The ability to communicate with symbols is certainly a principal hallmark of being a human being. Some of the symbols which we employ, like words and pictures, are very familiar and have been investigated. Others, like music, bodily gestures, or telegraphic codes, are equally powerful if less often noted. Certain symbols, such as paintings, convey meaning in themselves, while many others achieve their full potency only when they have been organized into symbol systems. These diverse symbol systems, in turn can be used to refer, to denote, or to express various kinds of moods, sentiments, and tensions.