Symbolic Activity and Agency

Symbolic activity and agency are interconnected processes that underlie the human ability to act freely and independently of external conditions. Symbols, as a key element of this activity, enable humans to transcend immediate reality by operating with hypothetical and abstract events. This becomes possible through the transformation of S-R (stimulus-response) associations, where symbolic activity liberates the subject from direct dependence on external stimuli, creating the basis for free and purposeful behavior. Important aspects of symbolic activity may include the processes of pleromatization and schematization. Pleromatization is associated with the expansion of the sign field, where sign-vehicles are abstracted from objects, forming a field of possible meanings and interpretations. This field creates the basis for multiple action variants and alternative paths to achieving goals. Schematization, in turn, organizes this field by forming specific routes through the creation of point-like signs. The interaction of field-like signs and point-like signs allows the subject to transition from possible events to actual actions, thereby facilitating the manifestation of agency. Field-like signs represent potential possibilities, while point-like signs represent concrete paths for their realization. Two-stage models of free behavior help to understand how symbolic activity overcomes the rigid determinism of S-R relationships. In the first stage, action variants are generated, where the subject evaluates various possibilities based on field-like signs. In the second stage, one of the variants is selected and realized through point-like signs. These models demonstrate how internal motives arising from symbolic activity can replace external causes, creating a sense of freedom while maintaining internal determinism. Thus, agency does not exclude determinism but relies on internal motives rather than external stimuli.