A Psychological analysis of the structure of writing: the history of agraphia studies in foreign neuropsychology. Part 2

Abstract

This article is the second part of the analytical review devoted to development of approaches to the structure of writing and the nature of agraphia in foreign neuropsychology. The review H.Head's and K.Goldstein's theories is presented. The analysis is performed based on Russian neuropsychology statements where a set of two parameters characterizing the system structure of the psychic function is used. The first parameter corresponds to the internal structure of writing (the function of writing is treated as an undivided whole or a whole consisting of several components). The second parameter corresponds to the interfunctional relations between writing and other functions (describes if writing is a separate independent function or consists of components common to other psychic functions). In K.Goldstein's theory writing is considered as a multicomponent function, on the one hand, and as a function having both specific components and components common to other psychic functions, on the other hand. Analysis of H.Head's theory shows that this theory is difficult to assess in terms of the above parameters since the author distinguishes not the structural components of spoken or written language, but the levels of language. Thus, despite the opinion established in Russian neuropsychology in most reviewed theories: (1) views of writing as a function with complex multicomponent structure are present; (2) views of interfunctional relationships between writing and other psychic functions realized through shared components are widespread.