Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

O estudo da percepção em psicanálise, visando à exploração de sua dimensão psíquica a partir do delineamento de relações com o conceito de fantasia, foi o objetivo principal desta tese. A percepção tem a sua importância quando é entendida como mediadora da relação entre o Eu e a realidade externa, mas ganha mais relevância quando se leva em consideração o seu papel mediador entre o Eu e a realidade interna ou psíquica. O conceito de fantasia, ancorado na metapsicologia freudiana, enriqueceu a nossa investigação da percepção em suas modalidades psíquicas, elencadas nas seguintes noções: percepção consciente, percepção interna, percepção endopsíquica e percepção inconsciente. O modo como decidimos levar a cabo tal empreitada iniciou-se com as circunscrições da noção de percepção e do conceito de fantasia, cujo trabalho com cada um deles desdobrou-se através de trilhas temáticas que os ligaram a outros conceitos, tais como inconsciente, desejo, representação, sintoma e aparelho psíquico. Essa primeira parte está presente nos Capítulos 1 e 2, correspondendo à nossa rede de associações, sendo que foi a partir dela que produzimos dois estudos aprofundados das relações entre percepção e fantasia, dessa vez tomando os fenômenos dos sonhos e das alucinações como objetos de estudo. Essas articulações teóricas estão presentes nos Capítulos 3 e 4, respectivamente. Por fim, como resultados desta tese, podemos apontar: (i) mapeamento de um campo conceitual para a elaboração de uma metapsicologia da percepção inconsciente; (ii) novos passos na circunscrição das modalidades da percepção, em especial, o desenvolvimento em torno da noção de percepção endopsíquica; (iii) um aprofundamento teórico das modalidades da alucinação, nas suas formas positiva e negativa; (iv) o reconhecimento de quatro tipos de relações entre a percepção e a fantasia, denominadas assim: relação de tipo genética, relação de tipo configuracional, relação de tipo de interferência e relação de tipo defensiva. Adicionalmente, nas Considerações Finais tivemos a oportunidade de indicar alguns temas relacionados à nossa pesquisa, mas que não pudemos aprofundar ao longo dela / This thesis main objective is the study of perception in Psychoanalysis aiming to explore its psychic dimension from outlining its relations with the concept of phantasy. Perception has its importance when understood as mediator of the relation between the Ego and the external reality, but becomes more relevant when its role as mediator between the Ego and the internal or psychic reality is taken into account. The concept of phantasy (grounded on Freudian metapsychology) enriched our research on perception in its psychic modalities, which are: conscious perception, internal perception, endopsychic perception and unconscious perception. We decided to begin such endeavor circumscribing the notion of perception and the concept of phantasy. The work with each one of them unfolded through thematic trails that connected them to other concepts, such as unconscious, desire, representation, symptom and psychic apparatus. This first part is found on Chapters 1 and 2 and matches our network of associations, based on which we produced two in-depth studies about the relations between perception and phantasy, this time taking as object of study the phenomena of dreams and hallucinations. These theoretical articulations are present respectively in Chapters 3 and 4. At last we present as results of this Thesis: (i) the mapping of a conceptual field to the elaboration of unconscious perceptions metapsychology; (ii) new steps into the circumscribing of modalities of perception, specially the development around the notion of endopsychic perception; (iii) a theoretical deepening of hallucinations modalities, in both its positive and negative forms; (iv) the acknowledgement of four types of relations between perception and phantasy, denominated as: genetic, configurational, interference and defensive. Additionally, in our Final Considerations we point out some subjects related to our research but during which we had no time to deepen

O estudo da percepção em psicanálise, visando à exploração de sua dimensão psíquica a partir do delineamento de relações com o conceito de fantasia, foi o objetivo principal desta tese. A percepção tem a sua importância quando é entendida como mediadora da relação entre o Eu e a realidade externa, mas ganha mais relevância quando se leva em consideração o seu papel mediador entre o Eu e a realidade interna ou psíquica. O conceito de fantasia, ancorado na metapsicologia freudiana, enriqueceu a nossa investigação da percepção em suas modalidades psíquicas, elencadas nas seguintes noções: percepção consciente, percepção interna, percepção endopsíquica e percepção inconsciente. O modo como decidimos levar a cabo tal empreitada iniciou-se com as circunscrições da noção de percepção e do conceito de fantasia, cujo trabalho com cada um deles desdobrou-se através de trilhas temáticas que os ligaram a outros conceitos, tais como inconsciente, desejo, representação, sintoma e aparelho psíquico. Essa primeira parte está presente nos Capítulos 1 e 2, correspondendo à nossa rede de associações, sendo que foi a partir dela que produzimos dois estudos aprofundados das relações entre percepção e fantasia, dessa vez tomando os fenômenos dos sonhos e das alucinações como objetos de estudo. Essas articulações teóricas estão presentes nos Capítulos 3 e 4, respectivamente. Por fim, como resultados desta tese, podemos apontar: (i) mapeamento de um campo conceitual para a elaboração de uma metapsicologia da percepção inconsciente; (ii) novos passos na circunscrição das modalidades da percepção, em especial, o desenvolvimento em torno da noção de percepção endopsíquica; (iii) um aprofundamento teórico das modalidades da alucinação, nas suas formas positiva e negativa; (iv) o reconhecimento de quatro tipos de relações entre a percepção e a fantasia, denominadas assim: relação de tipo genética, relação de tipo configuracional, relação de tipo de interferência e relação de tipo defensiva. Adicionalmente, nas Considerações Finais tivemos a oportunidade de indicar alguns temas relacionados à nossa pesquisa, mas que não pudemos aprofundar ao longo dela / This thesis main objective is the study of perception in Psychoanalysis aiming to explore its psychic dimension from outlining its relations with the concept of phantasy. Perception has its importance when understood as mediator of the relation between the Ego and the external reality, but becomes more relevant when its role as mediator between the Ego and the internal or psychic reality is taken into account. The concept of phantasy (grounded on Freudian metapsychology) enriched our research on perception in its psychic modalities, which are: conscious perception, internal perception, endopsychic perception and unconscious perception. We decided to begin such endeavor circumscribing the notion of perception and the concept of phantasy. The work with each one of them unfolded through thematic trails that connected them to other concepts, such as unconscious, desire, representation, symptom and psychic apparatus. This first part is found on Chapters 1 and 2 and matches our network of associations, based on which we produced two in-depth studies about the relations between perception and phantasy, this time taking as object of study the phenomena of dreams and hallucinations. These theoretical articulations are present respectively in Chapters 3 and 4. At last we present as results of this Thesis: (i) the mapping of a conceptual field to the elaboration of unconscious perceptions metapsychology; (ii) new steps into the circumscribing of modalities of perception, specially the development around the notion of endopsychic perception; (iii) a theoretical deepening of hallucinations modalities, in both its positive and negative forms; (iv) the acknowledgement of four types of relations between perception and phantasy, denominated as: genetic, configurational, interference and defensive. Additionally, in our Final Considerations we point out some subjects related to our research but during which we had no time to deepen

[Truncated abstract] Auditory hallucinations (AHs) are one of the most common symptoms of schizophrenia, and are associated with high levels of distress, functional impairment, and need for care. However, current understanding of the exact causes and thus treatment of AHs is still in its infancy. Recently, Badcock and colleagues proposed a cognitive dual-deficit model of AHs, which stipulates that intentional inhibition deficits underlie the intrusive and unintentional nature of AHs, while context memory binding deficits explain the source misattribution (Waters, Badcock, Michie, & Maybery, 2006). While this model seems to best explain the different features of AHs, the precise components of inhibitory control involved, and the evident role of negative affect in the production of AHs, have not been empirically examined. Thus, the first two aims of this thesis were to clarify the critical component(s) of inhibitory control specifically related to AHs, and to examine the relationships between negative affect (chiefly anxiety), AHs and inhibitory control. Finally, AHs are also commonly reported by individuals in the general population, consistent with a continuum approach to AHs. Accordingly, the third aim of this thesis was to investigate whether similar relationships exist between hallucinatory-type experiences, inhibitory processes and negative affect in both hallucination predisposition and schizophrenia. The first study presents the findings from two related investigations of hallucination predisposition. ... However, the study revealed a significant relationship between intentional inhibition and trait anxiety (which was independent of hallucination predisposition) allowing the possibility that more severe or longer lasting changes in anxiety may indeed exacerbate difficulties with intentional inhibition. The final study sought to determine whether the pattern of relationships between AHs, inhibitory impairments and anxiety in schizophrenia are similar to those found in hallucination predisposition. The same three cognitive tasks previously employed (ICIM, B-P, and DI) were administered to schizophrenia (N = 61) and healthy control (N = 34) participants. Schizophrenia participants overall exhibited difficulties intentionally resisting interference from distracting stimuli, however did not have difficulties [intentionally or unintentionally] inhibiting task-irrelevant memory traces. Consistent with the continuum approach, AHs were related only to difficulties with intentional inhibition, and these difficulties existed independently from anxiety (although anxiety was related to intentional inhibition) and were unrelated to other schizophrenia symptoms. Together, the studies support the first component of Badcock et al.'s dual-deficit model of AHs, with hallucinatory experiences in both hallucination predisposition and schizophrenia associated with specific intentional inhibition impairments. The findings also suggest that while anxiety may contribute to the production of AHs by exacerbating v existing intentional inhibition impairments, it is likely that anxiety has additional routes of influence. These findings provide strong support for the continuum approach to AHs. The implications of these findings and possible avenues for future research are discussed.

Este trabalho se propõe pensar a fotografia performática. Embora esta noção não tenha sido ainda definida, é possível identificar em algumas obras de Eugène Atget, László Moholy-Nagy, Marcel Duchamp e Gordon Matta-Clark particularidades que me levaram a nomeá-las dessa forma. A tentativa de definir o conceito de fotografia performática assim como algumas reflexões sobre esses trabalhos a partir dessa definição, me permitiram abordar questões tais como o confronto da continuidade da percepção com a multiplicidade de uma visão não sintética, a impossibilidade da memória de completar mentalmente aquilo que não se apresenta como visível recorrendo a objetos semelhantes, o desconforto frente a situações que não conhecemos e a insatisfação de nossos hábitos visuais. Considerar a fotografia como ato, como atividade concreta, implica um posicionamento e uma intervenção no real, plausível de afetar diversos níveis da experiência humana. Uma ação impulsionada pela obra e intrínseca à formação de uma realidade estética, que questiona convicções, desmaterializa pontos de vista fixos, dissolve os a priori e aprofunda níveis de percepção. Mas ainda que nos coloque frente a alguns desafios, também nos permite, entre outras coisas, dotar as imagens fotográficas de plasticidade e assim tirar o aspecto fixo delas / This thesis is an approach towards thinking photography as performative. Although this concept not been defined yet, it is possible to identify certain aspects in some of the works of Eugène Atget, László Moholy-Nagy, Marcel Duchamp and Gordon Matta-Clark that lead to name it that way. Trying to outline the notion of performative photography as well as some considerations on the works of those artists based on that concept, allowed inquiring issues such as the confront between the continuity of perception and the multiplicity of a non-synthetic vision, the impossibility of memory to complete mentally that which does not present itself as visible unless having recurring to similar objects, the inadequacy we feel facing unknown situations and the non-satisfaction of our visual habits. Photography as an act, as a concrete activity, involves taking a position and interfering in reality, affecting several levels of human experience. An action driven by the work itself and intrinsic to an esthetic reality, that questions convictions, dissolves previous ideas and demands deeper levels of perception. Although it forces us to face some challenges, it also enables us to bestow plasticity to photographic images, thus removing their fixed condition

Este trabalho se propõe pensar a fotografia performática. Embora esta noção não tenha sido ainda definida, é possível identificar em algumas obras de Eugène Atget, László Moholy-Nagy, Marcel Duchamp e Gordon Matta-Clark particularidades que me levaram a nomeá-las dessa forma. A tentativa de definir o conceito de fotografia performática assim como algumas reflexões sobre esses trabalhos a partir dessa definição, me permitiram abordar questões tais como o confronto da continuidade da percepção com a multiplicidade de uma visão não sintética, a impossibilidade da memória de completar mentalmente aquilo que não se apresenta como visível recorrendo a objetos semelhantes, o desconforto frente a situações que não conhecemos e a insatisfação de nossos hábitos visuais. Considerar a fotografia como ato, como atividade concreta, implica um posicionamento e uma intervenção no real, plausível de afetar diversos níveis da experiência humana. Uma ação impulsionada pela obra e intrínseca à formação de uma realidade estética, que questiona convicções, desmaterializa pontos de vista fixos, dissolve os a priori e aprofunda níveis de percepção. Mas ainda que nos coloque frente a alguns desafios, também nos permite, entre outras coisas, dotar as imagens fotográficas de plasticidade e assim tirar o aspecto fixo delas / This thesis is an approach towards thinking photography as performative. Although this concept not been defined yet, it is possible to identify certain aspects in some of the works of Eugène Atget, László Moholy-Nagy, Marcel Duchamp and Gordon Matta-Clark that lead to name it that way. Trying to outline the notion of performative photography as well as some considerations on the works of those artists based on that concept, allowed inquiring issues such as the confront between the continuity of perception and the multiplicity of a non-synthetic vision, the impossibility of memory to complete mentally that which does not present itself as visible unless having recurring to similar objects, the inadequacy we feel facing unknown situations and the non-satisfaction of our visual habits. Photography as an act, as a concrete activity, involves taking a position and interfering in reality, affecting several levels of human experience. An action driven by the work itself and intrinsic to an esthetic reality, that questions convictions, dissolves previous ideas and demands deeper levels of perception. Although it forces us to face some challenges, it also enables us to bestow plasticity to photographic images, thus removing their fixed condition

D’après les théories inférentielles de la perception, notre cerveau tire parti des régularités statistiques présentes dans l’environnement pour générer des prédictions qui façonnent nos contenus perceptifs. Le travail réalisé pendant cette thèse inclut 3 études principales, dans le but de caractériser les déterminants neuronaux des fausses perceptions et la nature des prédictions neuronales.Les erreurs perceptives pourraient résulter d’une tentative de notre système visuel d’expliquer des entrées sensorielles imprécises par une hypothèse erronée. Dans une 1ère étude en Imagerie par Résonance Magnétique fonctionnelle (IRMf), nous montrons que les fausses détections sont associées à un état imprécis et biaisé des circuits sensoriels avant la perception.La répétition d’une image génère une activité neurale diminuée (‘Repetition Suppression’) et des temps de réponse plus courts (‘amorçage’). Ces phénomènes pourraient résulter de mécanismes prédictifs, sous une prédiction implicite de répétition. Dans une 2nde étude IRMf, nous montrons que cette prédiction ne peut pas être modulée par l’expérience, ce qui suggère une implémentation locale. Dans une série d’études comportementales, nous montrons que l’amorçage est modulé par les prédictions, suggérant un mécanisme prédictif. Notre 2nde étude IRMf montre aussi qu’une région de moyen niveau sensible aux visages code des prédictions liées à l’identité, ce qui nous informe sur la nature des prédictions visuelles.Nos résultats montrent que notre perception est façonnée par l’interaction de nos entrées sensorielles avec l’état des circuits neuronaux avant stimulation, qu’il s’agisse de l’activité spontanée ou des stimuli précédents. / According to theoretical frameworks casting perception as inference, our brain can learn the statistical regularities present in the sensory world, and use this prior information to generate predictions, which in turn shape our perceptual contents. The work conducted in this PhD includes three main studies aimed at characterizing the neural determinants of misperceptions, as well as the nature of neural predictions. Perceptual errors may arise from an attempt of our visual system to 'explain' impreciseinputs with an erroneous hypothesis. In a first functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) study, we show that during a detection task, hallucinations are associated with animprecise and biased state of sensory circuits preceding sensation. Stimulus repetition is associated with decreased neural responses, known as Repetition Suppression, and shorter response times, known as priming. These phenomena may reflectpredictive mechanisms under an implicit prior over repetition. In a second fMRI study, we show that this putative prior cannot be changed by experience, suggesting a local, possibly hard-wired neural implementation. In a series of behavioral experiments, we show thatpriming is modulated by predictions, supporting a predictive account of this phenomenon. Our second fMRI study also shows that a mid-level face-sensitive region codes for exemplarspecific predictions, which sheds light on the nature of the predictions encoded along thevisual hierarchy. Altogether, our results speak to the dependence of perception on prior brain states. Both spontaneous activity in sensory circuits and previous stimulation interact with sensory inputsto shape our perceptual contents.

Grisi Siknis est le calque miskito de l’anglais "crazy sickness". Au-dessous de cette étiquette opaque se cachent une série de crises de transe de masse se reproduisant depuis plus de cinquante ans dans la région de la Moskitia, entre le Nicaragua et le Honduras orientaux. La grisi siknis est un raptus de transe involontaire qui atteint de préférence les jeunes femmes miskitos, une ethnie afro-indigène de langue Misumalpa. Au cours de la transe, les attaqués de grisi siknis (lasa praprukra) tombent en proie à un comportement agressif et/ou auto-agressif associé à des hallucinations récurrentes, ce qui est généralement interprété comme l'attaque d'un esprit maléfique. La diffusion de la maladie est perçue par les affectés comme une épidémie contagieuse redoutable aux thérapies controversées. Néanmoins, le comportement des lasa praprukra présente un certain degré de ritualisation. L’objectif primaire de cette étude, qui s'est appuyée sur une année de recherches ethnographiques au Nicaragua, est de décrire la force de propagation de la grisi siknis, en analysant sa dynamique interactionnelle et la constitution de l'imaginaire qui l'impulse. L’imaginaire iconique lié aux hallucinations de la grisi siknis a été étudié en proposant aux attaqués de dessiner leurs contenus hallucinatoires. Cette pratique, en analogie avec certains traitement chamaniques locaux, a été appréhendée comme une forme de thérapie. Le corpus iconographique produit est analysé dans son double statut de représentation et d’imaginaire incarné doté d’agentivité. En deuxième lieu, la thèse décrit les soubassements neurocognitifs de la crise de transe en esquissant un modèle bayésien de l'induction d'hallucinations sans prise de psychotropes dans des sujets sains. Enfin, le statut social des attaqués de grisi siknis est comparé à ceux de spécialistes rituels tels que les chamanes et des guérisseurs. Une place importante est accordée à la nature ontologiquement instable des esprits impliqués et au rôle de la métacognition dans les modifications psycho-physiologiques qui en favorisent l’expérience et la croyance. / Grisi siknis is a Miskito calque of the English expression « crazy sickness ». Behind this secretive label lies a series of mass trance seizures that have been happening for more than fifty years in the Moskitia region, between Eastern Nicaragua and Honduras. Grisi siknis is an involuntary trance attack, mainly affecting young Miskito women, an afro-indigenous population whose language belongs to the Misumalpa family. During the trance, those attacked by grisi siknis (lasa praprukra) show an aggressive/auto-aggressive behaviour associated with repeated hallucinations, which is generally interpreted as the attack of an evil spirit. The spread of the disease is seen by those affected as a dangerous epidemic which therapies are still controversial. Nevertheless, the lasa praprukra behaviour presents a certain degree of ritualization. The main goal of this study, which relies on one year of ethnographic research in Nicaragua, is to describe grisi siknis propagation by analysing its interactional dynamics and the constitution of the imagery impulsing its spread. The iconic imagery of grisi siknis has been studied by proposing to patients to draw their hallucinatory contents. As it shares some analogies with local shamanic treatment, this practice has been apprehended as a form of therapy. The iconographic corpus of grisi siknis drawings is analysed both in representation and in agentive embodied imagery terms. Secondly, this thesis describes the neurocognitive processes behind the seizure by sketching a Bayesian model of the induction of hallucinations in healthy subjects without psychotropic intake.Finally, the social status of lasa praprukra is compared to those of some local ritual specialists as shamans and healers. An important place is accorded to the fluctuating ontology of the spirits mobilized during the trance, as well as to the role held by metacognition in the psycho-physiological modifications encouraging spirits experience and belief.

Cette thèse propose de discuter la conception du crime comme un acte de survie face à la résurgence d’hallucinations sensorielles. Les sujets criminels témoignent du sentiment d’être dépossédés de leur corps, de ne plus contrôler leurs actes, décrivent des vécus de pénétration, d’explosion, de mutilation, de démantèlement : une menace terrifiante s’incarne par la dégénérescence de la sensorialité. L’hallucination ne parvient pas ici à se formaliser et emprunte directement la voie du corps. Le sujet a alors recours à l’acte pour externaliser ces vécus sensoriels persécuteurs, enkystés dans un morceau de corps, et pour tenter de trouver une amorce de symbolisation primaire. Au cours de la prise en charge individuelle ou groupale de ces patients, il s’agit donc d’écouter les manifestations hallucinatoires qui tendent à se loger dans leurs corps, pour qu’adviennent leurs mises en sens, au sein des enjeux transféro-contre-transférentiels. La thèse analyse ainsi l’aménagement d’un dispositif thérapeutique, créé pour permettre une appropriation subjective des terreurs qui ont contraint ces sujets à se placer comme hors de la scène du crime. Dans le cadre d’une pratique thérapeutique en centre de détention, un groupe à médiation corporelle et picturale est proposé aux patients incarcérés, afin de privilégier l’expression du langage sensori-moteur. La médiation corporelle fonctionne comme un attracteur des vécus catastrophiques sous-jacents aux hallucinations sensorielles, et leur partage sensori-affectivo-moteur permet l’apparition d’une scène psychique groupale. Par la mise en mouvement du corps du sujet en groupe, la sensori-motricité se trouve réunifiée aux autres modalités sensorielles. La médiation picturale s’offre alors comme un écran du rêve sur lequel sont projetés, puis représentés, les éprouvés corporels du sujet en groupe, et potentialise ainsi le déploiement de l’hallucinatoire onirique. / This thesis discusses the concept of crime as an act of survival in the face of a resurgence of sensory hallucinations. Criminal subjects describe a feeling of being dispossessed of their bodies, of no longer having any control over their actions, of experiencing penetration, explosion, mutilation and dismantling : a terrifying threat made real by the degeneration of the senses. In such cases, the hallucination fails to take form and uses the body directly. The subject then resorts to the act in order to externalise these tormenting sensory experiences, encysted in part of the body, and try to trigger primary symbolisation. In individual or group therapy sessions with these patients, the aim is therefore to listen to the hallucinatory manifestations embedded in the body, so that their meaning can emerge through transference and countertransference. Hence, we analyse a therapeutic solution created to enable the subjective appropriation of the terrors that led these subjects to situate themselves outside the crime scene. As part of therapeutic work in a detention centre, patients are invited to take part in a corporal and pictorial mediation group to encourage the expression of sensori-motor language. Corporal mediation acts as a magnet for catastrophic experiences underlying sensory hallucinations, and sharing them in a sensory-affective-motor manner enables the appearance of a group psychological scene. Through movement of the subject's body within the group, sensori-motricity is reunited with the other sensory forms. Pictorial mediation then acts as a dream screen onto which are projected, then represented, the subject's corporal experiences within the group, thereby rendering dreamlike hallucination possible.