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The human ability to render meaning through symbolic media such as art, dance, music, and speech defines, in many ways, the uniqueness of our species. One symbolic medium in particular--written expression--has aroused increasing interest among researchers across disciplines, in areas as diverse as the humanities, education, and the social sciences because it offers a fascinating window into the processes underlying the creation and enunciation of symbolic representation. In The Psychology of Writing, cognitive psychologist Ronald T. Kellogg reviews and integrates the fast-growing, multidisciplinary field of composition research, a field that seeks to understand how people formulate and express their thoughts with the symbols of written text. By examining the production of written text, the book fills a large gap in cognitive psychology, which until now has focused on speech production, comprehension, and reading, while virtually ignoring how people write. Throughout, the author masterfully examines the many critical factors that come together during the writing process--including writer personality, work schedules, method of composing, and knowledge. In providing an important new theoretical framework that enables readers from a wide range of backgrounds to navigate the extensive composition literature, the author drives home the profound significance of meaning-making as a defining feature of human cognition. Kellogg not only draws from the work of leading composition scholars, but quotes insights into the writing process proffered by some of the most gifted practitioners of the writing craft--including E.M. Forster, John Updike, and Samuel Johnson. Engaging and lively, The Psychology of Writing is the perfect introduction to the subject for students, researchers, journalists, and interested general readers.
E-Book Content
The Psychology of Writing This page intentionally left blank The Psychology of Writing Ronald T. Kellogg OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS New York Oxford Oxford University Press Oxford New York Athens Auckland Bangkok Bogota1 Buenos Aires Calcutta Cape Town Chennai Dares Salaam Demi Florence Hong Kong Istanbul Karachi Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Mumbai Nairobi Paris Sab Paulo Singapore Taipei Tokyo Toronto Warsaw and associated companies in Berlin Ibadan Copyright © 1994 by Oxford University Press, Inc. First published in 1994 by Oxford University Press, Inc. 198 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10016 First issued as an Oxford University Press paperback, 1999 Oxford is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press, Inc. All rights reserved. No pan of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of Oxford University Press. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Kellogg, Ronald Thomas. The psychology of writing / Ronald T. Kellogg. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-19-508139-0 ISBN 0-19-512908-3 (Pbk.) 1.Written communication—Psychological aspects. 2. Cognitive psychology. 3. Psycholinguistics. I. Title. BF456.W8K45 1994 401'.9-dc20 9*44667 1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2 Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper To Carol This page intentionally left blank Preface Interest in the process of writing has grown steadily over the past 20 years. The journey from Janet Emig's (1971) pioneering volume on the composing processes of high school students has been intellectually vigorous and has appropriately attracted researchers from diverse disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. In a relatively short period of time, an impressive literature has emerged on how people go about formulating their thoughts and expressi