Handbook of Organizational Learning and Knowledge Management, Second Edition

Intersubjectivity: The Key to Communities and Community Building

From the discussion above, it should be clear that processes such as Nonaka’s socialization, Wenger’s participation, and Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development entail an interhuman relationship, or intersubjectivity (Crossley, 1996; Rogoff, 1990; Rommetveit, 1974; Wertsch,1985).2 Intersubjectivity is the act of transcending the private and becoming one with the other. As Rommetveit (cited in Wertsch, 1985) states:

The basic problem of human intersubjectivity becomes . . . a question concerning in what sense and under what conditions two persons who engage in a dialogue can transcend their different private worlds. And the linguistic basis for this enterprise, I shall argue, is not a fixed repertory of shared ‘literal’ meanings, but very general and partially negotiated drafts of contracts concerning categorization and attribution inherent in ordinary language.

(Rommetveit, in Wertsch, 1985: 160)

Individuals bring different perspectives and preliminary interpretations to a situation and, through semiotically mediated negotiation, attain a state of intersubjectivity (Wertsch, 1985). Language and other cultural tools that mediate shared activity serve as a means of creating this temporary shared social reality. Thus, one way to view intersubjectivity is the result of an alignment of cultural elements.

Identifying common reference points for an activity (experiences and frameworks) helps develop intersubjectivity (Rogoff, ...