Reflexivity or "reflexivities" in higher education: conceptualizing unique reflexive process

The third chapter—Reflexivity or “Reflexivities” in higher education: Conceptualizing a unique reflexive process (G. Esposito, M.F. Freda, R. De Luca Picione)—addresses the issue of reflexivity and the difficulty of determining a unique conceptual definition. According to some reflexivity models, there are no unique reflexive processes, instead there are diverse levels of reflexivity with differing complexities. These reflexivity levels or qualities are often discussed using specific terms such as self-reflection and reflexivity. This chapter aims to provide an overview of the reflexivity construct as it has been addressed in various humanities disciplines (e.g., psychology, pedagogy, and sociology) to highlight points of differences and connections (e.g., function of context and intersubjectivity in fostering reflexivity). Fonagy’s mentalization process and recent reflexive process conceptualizations within a semiotic perspective are particularly emphasized, thus distinguishing the two reflexive process levels (reflection and reflexivity).