Self-awareness is about being aware of the self, of who and where one is in the existence of one’s environment. Being aware of one’s surroundings means being aware of where objects and people are around.
Knowing your existence in one’s environment, including stationary and moving objects. Knowing one’s physical and mental abilities for the internal self.
Objective self-awareness (OSA) is a way to explain the awareness of one’s own existence as well as one’s existence in the world.
OSA theory has stimulated a lot of research and informed basic issues in social psychology, such as emotion, attribution, attitude-behaviour consistency, self-standard comparison, prosocial behaviour, de-individuation, stereotyping, self-assessment, terror management, and group dynamics.
Objective Self-Awareness Theory: Recent Progress and Enduring Problems
By contrast, later ego psychologists assumed that the internalisation of ideas and objects could be inspired by the reality principle as a means of conflict-free ego actions.
People might internalise a standard because it facilitates efficient adaptation to their environment. Withdrawing into one’s mind due to focused concentration or avoidance in stressful or anxious situations.
An extensive body of evidence suggests that emotions regulate behaviour, including the existence of emotions before advanced cognition in infancy.
In cases where mental capacity required for the operating process is sufficient, the material discovered by the search program will dominate conscious awareness.
When the suppression of unpleasant thoughts is the intended goal and mental capacity is sufficient. The pleasant thoughts found by a process search will dominate the conscious mind.
The connection between emotional processes and reward systems in the brain, and the relationship between emotions and autonomic activity.
In closing, self-awareness is about being present, spatially attentive and conscious of one’s self and actions. Focusing on the present rather than thoughts will release the mind to be present in all moments of one’s life.
Sources on self-awareness
Academic Papers
A list of published papers/articles on self-awareness.
- The benefits of being present: mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. – Author(s): Brown, Kirk Warren, Ryan, Richard M – Free Version
- Objective Self-Awareness Theory: Recent Progress and Enduring Problems
Book Sources
- Change Your Thinking with CBT: Overcome stress, combat anxiety and improve your life – Author(s): Dr Sarah Edelman