TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2004//
TI  - Self-awareness and constructive functioning: Revisiting "the human dilemma"
JO  - Journal of social and clinical psychology
A1  - Silvia, P.J.
A1  - O'Brien, M.E.
SP  - 475
EP  - 489
VL  - 23
IS  - 4
N2  - 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.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0736-7236
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1521/jscp.23.4.475.40307
ID  - ref1
ER  -