Self-reflection

A lady seated by herself
This next to last scene of the Admonitions Scroll shows a palace lady sitting in quiet contemplation, presumably following the admonitions in the accompanying lines:[1] "Therefore I say: Be cautious and circumspect in all you do, and from this, good fortune will arise. Calmly and respectfully think about your actions, and honor and fame will await you."

Self-reflection is the ability to witness and evaluate one's own cognitive, emotional, and behavioural processes. In psychology, other terms used for this self-observation include 'reflective awareness', and 'reflective consciousness', which originate from the work of William James.[2][3]

Self-reflection depends upon a range of functions, including introspection and metacognition, which develop from infancy through adolescence, affecting how individuals interact with others, and make decisions.[4]

Self-reflection is related to the philosophy of consciousness, the topic of awareness, and the philosophy of mind.[5]

The concept of self-reflection is ancient. More than 3,000 years ago, "Know thyself" was the first of three Delphic maxims inscribed in the forecourt of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi.[6] It is also considered a form of thought that generates new meaning[7] and an opportunity to engage with what seemingly appears incongruous.[8]

  1. ^ McCausland, Shane (2003), First Masterpiece of Chinese Painting: The Admonitions Scroll, British Museum Press, p. 78, ISBN 978-0-7141-2417-9.
  2. ^ James, W. (1981/1890). The principles of psychology (Vol. 1). New York: Dover.
  3. ^ Farthing, G. W. (1992). The psychology of consciousness. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
  4. ^ "Self-Reflection | Encyclopedia of Adolescence - Credo Reference". search.credoreference.com. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  5. ^ Porter, Roy, ed. (2002-09-09). Rewriting the Self. doi:10.4324/9780203439159. ISBN 9780203439159.
  6. ^ "Pausanias, Description of Greece, Phocis and Ozolian Locri, chapter 24". www.perseus.tufts.edu.
  7. ^ Merleau-Ponty, Maurice (15 October 2018). Phenomenology of perception. Creative Media Partners, LLC. ISBN 978-0-343-27541-9. OCLC 1105849980.
  8. ^ Heidegger, Martin (1966). Discourse on thinking : a translation of Gelassenheit. Harper Perennial. ISBN 978-0-06-131459-9. OCLC 821883241.