Citation

Silvia PJ, O'Brien ME. J. Soc. Clin. Psychol. 2004; 23(4): 475-489.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, Guilford Publications)

DOI

10.1521/jscp.23.4.475.40307

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Self-awareness - the capacity to focus attention on oneself, and thus to self-evaluate - has a bad reputation in social-clinical psychology because of its ties to negative affect, depression, suicide, and dysfunction. Using Rollo May's (1967) analysis of "the human dilemma," we outline self-awareness's beneficial contributions to psychological functioning. Without self-awareness, people could not take the perspectives of others, exercise self-control, produce creative accomplishments, or experience pride and high self-esteem. Research suggests that the positive and negative facets of self-awareness are reconciled when people have reasonable self-standards and when they are optimistic about meeting their standards.

Language: en