The path to self-improvement begins with the process of self-knowledge - the ability to well understand your emotions and feelings, strengths and weaknesses, and motivation. Awareness develops us and moves us forward. What a person’s thoughts and concentration of attention are directed to determines the vector of his life.
What is self-awareness
Self-awareness is a certain attitude of a person towards himself, awareness of himself, his place, interests, experiences, behavior and others. This is not a given, but a result of development.
The source of the development of self-awareness is the generalization of a person’s knowledge about other people, comparison of their experiences with one’s own (life, professional, love). The more self-awareness develops, the more his inner world opens to a person.
Self-concept is the result of a person’s self-awareness, that is, a person’s theory about himself. Moreover, the self-concept can take more private forms, for example, being professional.
Psychology of Rubenstein
Self-knowledge and self-development of a person occurs in the process of communication with other people, so a person realizes his characteristics and works on personality characteristics. A person’s character is partly an innate thing associated with the type of nervous system, and partly acquired through life and accumulated experience.
To some extent, the study of character is related to Maslow’s theory, since a characterless person does not have a rigid value system, but a person with a strong character clearly understands his purpose and is confident in his coordinate system, adheres strictly to his line of behavior. The concept of “personality” arises as a result of self-awareness of one’s “I” and one’s actions.
Self-knowledge
Self-awareness arises as a result of human development, mastering new knowledge, understanding one’s capabilities, and managing physical processes. Independence develops in the process of mastering speech and service skills, and later manifests itself in the ability to set tasks, goals, and find the main direction for the development of one’s personality.
Self-knowledge and self-development of the individual are important components in a person’s life; these processes are clearly visible in adolescence, when many questions arise before the individual. A person determines his purpose in this world, the abilities and capabilities of his “I”. These are the first attempts to understand yourself.
Each person has character traits and personal qualities that distinguish him from others. Understanding oneself leads to the formation of personality, awareness of the need for changes in certain directions, and the establishment of one’s own principles of life.
A personality is a person with his own worldview, a clear position in life, which arose as a result of great conscious activity, understanding of himself and life in general.
Individuality - a bright, unique person
Personality is a more global concept, and its formation requires quite significant efforts, attention to this issue and determination.
Such a person has his own characteristics, a “handwriting”, and consciously distinguishes himself from the general mass of people, which presupposes independent thinking and the presence of willpower. At the same time, the depth of personality is determined by the richness of the inner world and relationships with people.
Self-isolation leads to devastation of a person, although to a certain extent it is necessary for carrying out internal work and understanding one’s essence. A personality feature is the ability to look at the world from the outside for a more complete understanding of processes.
A developed person also helps others in the process of self-development. A real personality cannot cause indifference; there can be friends or enemies. Such a person always has strength and an active beginning. Self-awareness develops along with a person throughout life; self-reinterpretation occurs in connection with new experiences.
Each person goes through the process of understanding life, asks himself questions and finds answers, understanding what is most important for him and brings value. Accumulated experience and understanding of life leads to the formation of wisdom. Personality is created and built by a person throughout his conscious life, each person develops in a special way.
It is very important to carry out self-knowledge and self-development in a temporary period and ask questions: what was I like? - what am I? - what do I want to be? However, it is important to understand that a person needs to develop his existing potential, and in the process of labor and creation of something, the personality grows. There is a great relationship between a person and his result of activity.
Personality
A person is always of interest if he can create something significant and it is clear that this is not the limit of possibilities. The development of personality over time can be tracked through human activity, in which it manifests itself and constantly develops.
A person’s characteristics are not always at the forefront of actions, but can also be a consequence. And abilities develop as a result of constant practice; the more attention a person directs to a certain area, the higher the likelihood of success in it and achieving high results.
Each person has his own life story, which can be reflected in an autobiography or resume; they will contain data about the person’s training, work, achievements - thus, the relationship of human development through activity can be traced.
In order to become a historical figure, you need to do things, create creations that will be in the public domain and go down in the history of society.
The structure of self-awareness
Self-awareness includes three elements.
Cognitive (self-understanding)
It is characterized as a person’s idea of his abilities, appearance, temperament, and so on. That is, we are talking about self-knowledge as an element of self-awareness.
Emotional-evaluative (self-attitude)
It assumes an adequate assessment of one’s characteristics, that is, self-love (self-acceptance), self-respect, self-criticism, self-esteem, self-control and more.
Behavioral or volitional (self-regulation)
It is expressed in the desire to be understood and accepted by society, to gain respect from others, and to acquire a certain status.
Self-actualization
Self-actualization is not so much part of the structure of self-consciousness as inextricably linked with it. It can be characterized as a person’s desire to maximize the identification and development of personal characteristics and capabilities. This is the need for constant self-improvement and disclosure of one's potential.
Self-esteem
Self-esteem allows a person to evaluate his own strengths, characteristics and regulate behavior in accordance with the results. Self-esteem can be adequate, underestimated or overestimated. The last two types have a destructive effect on the personality and lead to internal conflicts. Self-esteem at any age is influenced by external assessment, the only difference is the strength of this influence.
Level of aspiration
This is the desired level of self-esteem, that is, it is closely related to the previous component and the ideal self (more on this in the next paragraph). The level of aspirations determines the possible level of achievement of an individual and the development of his abilities. Expressed in the difficulty of the goal of the activity.
Forms and levels of human self-awareness
Self-awareness manifests itself in four forms, let's look at each of them.
Self-knowledge
This concept means identifying oneself among other people and the world around us, recognizing personal qualities, the physical body, and potential.
Self-awareness comes through:
- Self-observation of the results of one’s activities, the results of communication with the environment and analysis of the compliance of the results with accepted standards.
- Understanding the assessments of other people about their personality and actions, their attitudes.
- Analysis of your feelings, emotions and needs, and their transformations.
The result of self-knowledge is the formation of a system of ideas about oneself.
Self-control
A person has the opportunity, after analyzing his essence and behavior, to correct them. Any actions and psychological states can be changed if, in the opinion of the person himself, they contradict his attitudes, do not give the desired results, or come into conflict with the outside world.
Self-esteem
Self-esteem expresses the degree to which a person accepts his qualities, characteristics and characteristics. The perception itself reveals the level of love and respect for oneself.
Adequate self-esteem characterizes a self-confident person, capable of making decisions and purposeful actions. When low, we see a person dependent on the opinions of others, with a pronounced sense of guilt and a lot of complexes. An overestimation of personal qualities reveals a person who is self-confident, arrogant, and does not accept any criticism.
To achieve life goals, self-esteem should be developed to a normal level; in psychology there are many exercises to increase the degree of self-love.
Self-acceptance
This form of self-awareness involves:
- Accepting yourself as a unique individual, without unjustified criticism and self-deprecation.
- Self-respect.
Self-esteem comes from achieving goals and satisfying aspirations. A person sets records in sports, quits smoking, finishes writing a novel - his self-esteem increases, which has a good effect on self-esteem.
In addition to forms, psychology considers 4 levels of self-perception:
- Sensual
. This is the lowest level at which one’s psychological characteristics, experiences, and physiological processes are understood. This is the stage of self-identification. - Figurative and personal
. Gives recognition of oneself as a subject of active activity. Self-actualization occurs, maintaining the identity of “I”. - Analytical (otherwise reflexive)
. A person analyzes and clarifies his thoughts and actions, observes the manifestation of emotions in critical states, analyzes committed mistakes and failures, and draws conclusions. - Active
. Based on the results and experience of the first three stages, self-regulation, motivation, correction of behavioral structures and self-control occur. This is a stage of personal change based on self-knowledge.
Going through all four levels of self-awareness indicates the maturity of the individual; getting stuck on one of them requires further development.
The structure of the self-concept
At the same time, if we consider the product of self-consciousness - images of the Self, we can distinguish:
- I am real (as I am now);
- I am ideal (what I can become in accordance with my capabilities);
- I am fantastic (what I could become if it were possible).
The contradiction between the ideal self and the real self can serve as both an impetus for self-development and cause personality disharmony. It is worth noting that self-awareness is a dynamic structure. She is prone to changes and transformations of self-images.
In some theories there is a broader classification of self-images. Stands out:
- I am real;
- I am the ideal;
- Self-potential;
- I am personal;
- I-activity (professional, non-professional).
In other works, for example, Sh. Samuel, you can find the concept:
- I-bodily;
- I-real (present, actual);
- Self-dynamic;
- I-fantastic;
- I-probable;
- I-idealized;
- I-represented;
- I-ideal;
- Future (possible) self.
I am corporeal
Each person has a sense of his own body, which may differ from what is shown in the mirror. This refers to signals sent to the brain about the location of body parts, their shape and length. Within the framework of the I-bodily, we can additionally distinguish:
- real perception in terms of subjective functionality;
- internal factors caused by personal experiences or difficult situations;
- social factors, that is, environmental reactions and the interpretation of these reactions by the individual;
- the ideal body image as a result of the combination of all factors, comparison and a person’s perception of his body.
Real Me
The totality of a person’s ideas about himself at a given moment in time (as he seems to himself). However, this idea does not necessarily correspond to objective reality. The present self provides flexibility in reactions in response to changing environmental conditions. It allows you to choose personal goals, behavioral strategies, claims, and more.
Self-dynamic
Reflects the personality’s ideas about it, but in projection, that is, about what a person wants to become (goal). Depends on a person’s social status, opportunities and successes. The dynamic self is prone to changes, which are influenced by the successes and failures of the individual, identification with significant and ideal (in the person’s mind) people, ideas about desired roles and status.
I'm fantastic
Essentially, these are a person’s dreams, ideas about what he would be like if everything were possible. As a rule, this component exists only until adolescence, and as a person grows older, it begins to actively collapse.
I'm perfect
A person’s ideas about what he should become, based on the learned norms and values of society. Depends on the moral development of the individual, moral maturity and socialization. It is formed in the process of a person’s identification with people (heroes) whom he admires.
If the ideal self does not transform into the dynamic, and then into the present, then, most likely, it will disintegrate completely. This is dangerous with disappointment and frustration.
I am possible (future)
A person's ideas about what he can become. Most often it differs from the ideal self. It is formed on the basis of a person’s real position, real status, opportunities and role.
Idealized self
A person’s ideas about what he would like to be right now, how he would like to see himself. This is an incoming component that depends on the specific situation.
Self-represented
Images created and exhibited by a person specifically for display in order to hide undesirable (negative in his opinion) traits, qualities of the present self. The represented self plays the role of protection and adaptation.
Most often, the imagined Self is close to the ideal Self, but if these components differ and do not come close, then problems arise in a person’s relationships, and later the person is subject to disappointment and frustration. A sign of such inconsistency and incipient frustration is embarrassment.
I'm fake
It represents a distorted “I-real”, that is, self-deception of the individual. With frequent reproduction of false but desirable personality traits:
- afraid of negative self-esteem;
- expects negative attitude from outside;
- incapable of actions that nurture self-respect.
From the false self, many protective mechanisms of the personality are activated, which ultimately acquire a pathological character. All self-knowledge is distorted, and then the knowledge and perception of interpersonal relationships.
Developmental psychology A. Maslow
Maslow's psychology is also humanistic in nature. He paid great attention to research and identified the main qualities of a self-actualized personality, such as: independence, creativity, philosophical humor, the need for solitude and others.
He believed that humanity is on the threshold of a new psychology, which will allow people to fully reveal their potential and abilities, considering a person as a single and integral mental system. Self-knowledge and self-development of the individual underlie theories of the formation of this personality.
Maslow's Key Findings
- Each person has a special original nature, which is received at birth.
- A person develops throughout life and can develop the data that he received initially. At the same time, the environment (family, school) significantly influences further development.
- Nature has given man the presence of instincts and desires, but over the years, “voices-impulses” reduce their strength as a result of receiving education and total control over oneself. It is these voices that help determine what exactly a person needs, what arouses interest, what he is capable of, and not just what meets the norms and rules of society.
- Personality characteristics may be similar for different individuals, or they may be unique, with their own characteristics. Everyone has needs for love, respect, understanding, and there are personal properties and abilities.
- Human nature is studied both by science and by man himself, using self-knowledge and psychiatric methods.
- Most of the internal, deep thoughts and instincts are suppressed by us and pass into an unconscious form as a result of constant fear, fear of condemnation.
- The inner strength of human nature still remains, periodically makes itself felt, and provides an incentive to develop and find oneself.
- The basis of a person lies in what was given initially; it is important to be able to understand and accept oneself. Moreover, in choosing on the path of life, the main criterion should be the opinion of the individual, not society. Personality is dynamic and tends to develop throughout life.
- The inner essence of a person can be subjected to difficult tests, misunderstandings, and feel rejected in life. Often this leads to real illnesses on a mental level. Difficult situations are considered to be the loss of personality, one’s peculiarities, defining properties, when there is no opportunity to achieve one’s projection, a representation of one’s Self.
- Inner strength is initially positive, the main thing is to learn to use it for good, to stimulate the development of creativity, kindness, altruism, and the ability to love.
Secondary qualities
- Conscience or guilt is an indicator of a person’s correct behavior; it is compared with internal attitudes and values. It is worth listening to your conscience, it will show the way to find your true Self.
- Accepting and loving yourself as a person is necessary for a full and healthy life!
- Self-knowledge is the only, main way of personality development.
- Self-knowledge and self-development require significant efforts of the individual.
- It is important to understand the impact of defense mechanisms - regression, defense, self-preservation. By studying psychiatry, you can understand that realism is also needed in life, since false optimism ultimately leads to disappointment in life.
- The theory of free upbringing assumes that the child himself feels what is for his good; he should be given more freedom of choice and action, and not constantly driven into the framework of requirements.
- Only by following the path of understanding and accepting one’s essence, purpose, and satisfying the needs of the individual, one can become a real person and reveal one’s potential. First of all, we are talking about spiritual needs.
- It is important to remember that without difficulties and disappointments . Therefore, a child must be taught to endure the difficulties of life, while the love of parents and their support is the basis for the formation of a strong personality. Abuse of guardianship can lead to infantilism and inhibit the development of willpower.
- A mature personality is distinguished by a type of cognition . D-cognition and B-cognition are distinguished. Moreover, D is selfish , aimed only at one’s own needs, and D is selfless , the ability to do good, to take care of others. The vector of attention of a person with D-cognition is directed more to the outside world than to purely personal interests.
- For a normal life, a person needs a system of values , his own coordinate system, which will allow him to exist in this world. To create such a system, it is important to study yourself, understand goals and motives, what is good and bad, what has a positive impact on your own dignity.
- A person who can be friends with the unconscious level is often inclined to creativity, and aesthetic education should be the basis of education , psychology and all life.
- An important task becomes - to be above ordinary human problems and troubles , to have a simpler attitude towards life, to form a real and healthy perception of life.
Thus, Maslow’s theory involves the search for one’s inner core, self-acceptance and personality development, harmony with the world around us.
Developing Self Awareness
The essence of developing self-awareness can be described through 3 components:
- The dynamics of how a person separates himself from his environment. Moreover, both as an organism, and as an individual, and as a person, and as an individual.
- The second component of the development of self-awareness is a change in self-control, that is, the ability to influence one’s activities. As a person grows and develops, a transition occurs from control of physiological reactions to control of consciousness.
- The third component is self-acceptance, the ability to adequately and differentiatedly assess one’s characteristics, advantages and disadvantages.
The formation of self-awareness begins with a person’s identification of himself with the world and other people, and ends with autonomy, that is, highlighting his individuality, distinctive features and accepting them.
- A child from 3 to 8 months actively learns about his body; at 7-8 months, attention switches to studying the immediate and distant surroundings. These are the first elements of developing self-awareness.
- The desire for autonomy gradually increases, which is reflected in behavior. But along with independence comes responsibility. In the second year of life, the child already acts as a subject of activity. He can act out of situation.
- A little later, the baby can be called an object and subject of self-knowledge. By the age of 3, a child is already familiar with his body and its characteristics, and has conscious emotions from which standards are formed.
- Preschool children are characterized by subordination of motives and awareness of themselves as the subject of relationships. By the age of 6, the social self is formed, which is manifested by a differentiated assessment, the desire to follow external standards and models or internal beliefs.
- At primary school age, the active development of the social self occurs.
- Adolescence is characterized by the desire to understand one’s individuality, but at the same time personal and social identity, that is, to determine similarity with other people or a group. By the end of adolescence, the orientation of the personality is formed.
- Youth is characterized by the development of will, self-control, and the construction of life plans. There comes greater independence and objectivity in judgment, along with this - a strong need for self-realization.
- Adulthood and old age are characterized by the implementation of plans and evaluation of results, the search for integrity. Personal growth also occurs through crises (age-related, individual).
Thus, the peak of development of self-awareness occurs in adolescence and young adulthood. D. Marcia identified 4 possible options for the formation of self-awareness:
- A foregone conclusion. An individual’s acceptance of responsibilities appropriate to gender and age, without going through a crisis of choice, that is, parents or other people decided for him. As a result of this, a person suffers from low self-esteem, but is not anxious and is attentive to the advice of other people.
- Diffusion. This style of identity, that is, self-awareness, is characterized by fragmentation as the desire to try everything without having a life plan, motives and goals. As a rule, this is typical for those who are afraid of becoming an outcast and do not want to take responsibility.
- Moratorium. This category includes active people searching for themselves. They are always at the center of decision making, their every action is highly emotionally charged.
- Identity itself. This is the highest stage of development. Individuals who have achieved it have made a choice, accepted responsibility for their own lives, strive to live and follow their convictions.
Personality orientation in the works of C. Rogers
Rogers is considered one of the best psychologists of the last century, he founded the psychology of humanism. His concept is based on the individual’s desire for actualization; he identifies the following concepts:
- “Real Self” - includes a person’s awareness of thoughts, values, and attitudes in life.
- “Ideal Self” is a set of ideas about how a person sees his future, what he strives for, and his life experience.
- “Social environment” - includes values and norms, behavioral characteristics inherent in a person’s social environment.
If there are discrepancies in life between the real and ideal state of a person and his implementation in society, mental disorders, neuroses, anxiety, and poor adaptation in society arise. To be in harmony with your Self and achieve an ideal state, you need to gain freedom, learn to listen to your inner voice, and act based on your experience and understanding of life.
Usually, problems arise in a situation where a person lives according to the rules of society, trying not to stand out from the crowd, forgetting about the “Ideal Self”. Rogers, working as a psychotherapist, believed that his task was to reveal the potential of the individual, to help determine and gain freedom through self-knowledge.
His “theory” found its application in pedagogy.
Key rules in the work of a teacher
- pedagogy should contribute to the formation of a healthy and adequate personality, promote personal growth;
- the source of development and growth lies in the person himself, only through comprehension and personal experience, responsible choice is it possible to learn and self-improvement of the individual;
- personal growth and development is impossible without understanding and accepting one’s essence. Respect for yourself and your inner world allows you to take risks and reveal new facets of your personality.
Rogers assumed that self-knowledge and self-development of students would be important components of the pedagogical process. The ideas of this psychiatrist will also be useful to parents in the process of raising a holistic and healthy personality.
Basic qualities of a teacher
- Trusting relationship;
- Stimulate students' internal motivation;
- Share experience, provide assistance in difficult situations;
- Be sensitive to the child’s emotions and feelings;
- Be active in relationships, express your emotions and experiences;
- Understand and know yourself.
Of course, teachers are not always able to find time for each student and promote the full disclosure and development of their personality, so this question applies more to parents, who must know and understand their child and help him develop. Each person in the process of his life asks questions of finding himself, his purpose, which is important for further development and self-improvement. “Know yourself and you will know the world,” the sages said.
Self-awareness in ontogenesis
In the previous paragraph, I already touched upon the connection between human development as a person and as an individual. In this part of the article I want to structure and summarize the development of self-awareness in combination with growing up.
Rudimentary self-awareness
Formed before the age of one year. Characterized by the child’s discovery of his Self.
Allopsychic self-awareness
Formed in 2-3 years. It is manifested by the child’s awareness of himself as an actor and the separation of his actions from the actions of other people.
Somatopsychic self-awareness
Formed by age 7. The child can independently evaluate himself, owns his body and undergoes bodily identification.
Autopsychic self-awareness
Adolescence and adolescence. It is assumed that by the age of 17, the formation of social and moral attitudes and self-awareness is completed. In the future, it does not develop, but changes.
Types of self-knowledge
The methods by which a person can explore himself can be different. Conventionally, there are 4 varieties.
Introspection
Self-observation, or introspection, is a method of studying one's own mental processes without the use of special tools such as analysis or comparison. The method consists of observing one’s own feelings, state, and experiences as if from the outside. It is important to note as many different reactions (consecutive changes in impressions) to the action of the stimulus as possible.
This is one of the generally available ways of self-knowledge. It helps to better understand one’s own desires and motivations by tracking reactions to which a person previously did not pay any attention. By paying attention to your feelings, you can isolate negative thoughts in order to get rid of them in the future, leaving room for satisfying the desires and needs that your inner voice persistently repeats.
Introspection
Self-analysis is a method of self-understanding through delving into a problem in order to release one’s own reserves for a positive resolution of the situation. Develops the ability to understand a problem in a timely manner and draw effective conclusions.
Self-analysis allows you to work through painful or hidden aspects of your existence, including those that have long gone to the subconscious level. With its help, you can shed light on the reasons for recurring situations in life, problematic moments in relationships with others.
Self-confession
This type of self-knowledge is an internal dialogue in which a person consciously asks himself questions that concern him and answers them honestly. A frank internal conversation with oneself can be accompanied by the same type of movements, such as tapping fingers or an object on the table, walking back and forth.
As a result of self-confession, a person comes to the realization of the only correct decision regarding some situation, including the admission of his guilt or mistake.
At this stage, it is recommended to find someone who can listen and help you find peace of mind. Spiritual and physical practices, such as yoga, can help calm your emotions and body.
Comparison
People tend to compare themselves with others. At the same time, someone else's achievements always seem more significant than your own. Such a comparison does not add optimism; on the contrary, it deprives you of motivation for further growth.
Comparison as a method of self-knowledge can work in a positive way, being an impulse for new achievements. To do this, psychologists recommend comparing yourself today not with the people around you, but with yourself in the past.
This technique allows you to track your own progress over time and inspires continuous self-improvement.
Mistakes in the development of self-awareness
If the crisis is not resolved correctly, then identification will be inadequate. We can distinguish the following variants of the abnormal development of self-awareness, which affect the individual and his relationships with the world:
- Avoidance of close interpersonal relationships.
- Fear of change and growing up, inadequate understanding of time, blurring of its boundaries.
- Wasting your own potential, productive and creative abilities. Inability to activate internal resources and concentrate on one activity.
- Refusal of self-determination and self-knowledge, selection of negative role models.
Separately, I would like to consider the option of developing an unfavorable self-concept, which is characterized by personal uncertainty, fear of rejection, and low self-esteem. This type of self-awareness is dangerous in the following ways:
- low self-esteem, which is reflected by social degradation, failure, aggressiveness, crime and asociality;
- reaction of adaptation in difficult situations, which is dangerous with the risk of being drawn into asocial groups and being influenced from outside;
- inadequate perception, which is reflected both in a person’s analysis of his actions or appearance, and in the analysis of external situations.
Other disorders in the development of self-awareness include:
- underdevelopment of self-awareness, that is, dependence on other people;
- distorted self-image;
- egocentrism (a distorted view of one’s role in the world);
- pathologies (mental disorders and diseases).
The concept of personality
The concept of “personality” is multifaceted; personality is the object of study of many sciences: philosophy, sociology, psychology, ethics, aesthetics, pedagogy, etc. Each of these sciences studies personality in its own specific aspect.
For a socio-psychological analysis of personality, the concepts of “personality”, “individual”, “individuality”, “person” should be clearly distinguished.
The most general concept is “man” - a biosocial being with articulate speech, consciousness, higher mental functions (abstract-logical thinking, logical memory, etc.), capable of creating tools and using them in the process of social labor. These specific human abilities and properties (speech, consciousness, work activity, etc.) are not transmitted to people in the order of biological heredity, but are formed in them during their lifetime, in the process of assimilating the culture created by previous generations.
No person’s personal experience can lead to the fact that he independently develops logical thinking and independently develops a system of concepts. This would require not one, but a thousand lives. People of each subsequent generation begin their lives in the world of objects and phenomena created by previous generations. By participating in work and various forms of social activity, they develop in themselves those specific human abilities that have already been formed in humanity. Necessary conditions for a child to assimilate socio-historical experience: 1) communication between the child and adults, during which the child learns adequate activities and assimilates human culture. If, as a result of the catastrophe, the adult population had died and only small children had survived, then, although the human race would not have ceased, the history of mankind would have been interrupted. Cars, books and other culture would continue to physically exist, but there would be no one to reveal their purpose to children; 2) in order to master those objects that are products of historical development, it is necessary to carry out, in relation to them, not just any, but such adequate activity that will reproduce in itself the essential socially developed ways of human and human activity. The assimilation of socio-historical experience acts as the process of reproduction in the properties of a child of the historically developed properties and abilities of the human race. Thus, the development of humanity is impossible without the active transmission of human culture to new generations. Without society, without assimilating the socio-historical experience of humanity, it is impossible to become human, to acquire specific human qualities, even if a human being has biological usefulness.But, on the other hand, without biological usefulness (mental retardation), morphological properties inherent in man as a biological species, it is impossible even under the influence of society, upbringing, education to achieve the highest human qualities.
Human life and activity are determined by the unity and interaction of biological and social factors, with the leading role of the social factor. Since consciousness, speech, etc. are not transmitted to people in the order of biological heredity, but are formed in them during their lifetime, the concept of “ individual” - as a biological organism , the bearer of the general genotypic hereditary properties of a biological species (we are born as an individual) and the concept of “personality” - as the socio-psychological essence of a person, formed as a result of a person’s assimilation of social forms of consciousness and behavior, the socio-historical experience of mankind (we become a person under the influence of life in society, education, training, communication, interaction).
Functions of self-awareness
The main function is to make the motives and results of actions accessible to the individual, to allow him to evaluate himself. Self-awareness ensures conscious adaptation of the individual to the environment.
Other features include:
- ensuring internal consistency (sometimes self-awareness may not even allow some external factors into the inner world if they do not correspond to something from the Self);
- interpretation of individual experience, that is, the nature of the perception of the situation (self-awareness and self-concept explain why two people can see the same situation differently, that is, the self-concept not only interprets our behavior, but also “explains” to us the meaning of behavior other people);
- defining expectations, that is, what should happen (closely related to acceptance and non-acceptance, as well as vision of the situation).
Having understood the essence and structure of self-awareness, as well as its functions, you can easily understand and notice how different and unique each person is. “I expected one thing, but got another,” “I wanted the best, but it turned out as always,” “I didn’t mean it,” “I know that I’ll look like a fool again,” “Come on, he wasn’t flirting. I’m sure that I can’t please anyone” - all these are games of self-awareness and its 3 main functions.
Levels
Knowledge about oneself presupposes the formation in a person of a self-concept - a stable system of ideas about oneself. It is a product of self-awareness. In the self-concept, three levels can be distinguished, they are also called levels of self-awareness:
- cognitive – a person’s ideas about himself as a person, individuality, knowledge and acceptance of all his characteristics;
- evaluative – a sense of self-worth, self-worth, including a person’s awareness of the significance and value of his profession, external features, character;
- behavioral – behavioral attitudes and a person’s attitude towards his own personality.
These elements can be considered the structure of self-awareness. However, in psychology it is customary to consider a different system as a structure.
Self-knowledge as a process of personality development
Universal human values in development and self-knowledge tend to be acquired throughout life. A number of theories and approaches have been developed that assume the individual’s readiness for this process, including the gradual passage of its stages. First, the child learns to distinguish himself from others. Forming with age, he develops beliefs about himself. He also finds motivation that encourages him to develop himself and improve his life.
Self-knowledge determines the culture of behavior, the specificity of thinking and feelings. As a result, everyone can create a scenario of existence and improve it by changing the ways of realizing consciousness.
The importance of self-knowledge in human life
In youth, a person sets high goals for himself, realizing that self-awareness is the path to enlightenment. By acquiring social status, duties and responsibilities, a person may lose the nobility of impulses that previously gave meaning to life. And existence itself becomes commonplace. At such a moment, it is important to be able to find positive aspects where previously only negativity was observed. This gives additional strength to accept these properties and plays a very important role in improving oneself. A person who is aware of himself as a person is familiar with his own characteristics, differences from others, and can make comparisons. All this will improve the understanding that self-knowledge is the path to enlightenment.
Socialization of personality
Personality socialization is the process of personality formation in certain social conditions, the process of a person’s assimilation of social experience, during which a person transforms social experience into his own values and orientations, selectively introduces into his system of behavior those norms and patterns of behavior that are accepted in society or a group. Norms of behavior, moral standards, and beliefs of a person are determined by those norms that are accepted in a given society.
The following stages of socialization are distinguished:
Primary socialization or adaptation stage (from birth to adolescence, the child assimilates social experience uncritically, adapts, adapts, imitates).
Stage of individualization (there is a desire to distinguish oneself from others, a critical attitude towards social norms of behavior). In adolescence, the stage of individualization, self-determination “the world and I” is characterized as intermediate socialization, since everything is still unstable in the worldview and character of the teenager.
Adolescence (18-25 years) is characterized as stable conceptual socialization, when stable personality traits are developed.
3. Stage of integration (a desire appears to find one’s place in society, to “fit in” with society). Integration proceeds successfully if a person’s characteristics are accepted by the group, by society. If not accepted, the following outcomes are possible:
maintaining one’s dissimilarity and the emergence of aggressive interactions (relationships) with people and society;
changing oneself, “becoming like everyone else”;
conformism, external agreement, adaptation.
4. The labor stage of socialization covers the entire period of a person’s maturity, the entire period of his working activity, when a person not only assimilates social experience, but also reproduces it due to the person’s active influence on the environment through his activity.
The post-labor stage of socialization considers old age as an age that makes a significant contribution to the reproduction of social experience, to the process of transmitting it to new generations.
