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Related Experiment Video

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Central and Divided Visual Field Presentation of Emotional Images to Measure Hemispheric Differences in Motivated Attention

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Right hemispheric self-awareness: a critical assessment.

¹Behavioral Sciences, Mount Royal College, 4825 Richard Road SW, Calgary, AB, Canada T3E 6K6. amorin@mtroyal.a.ca

Consciousness and Cognition

|November 19, 2002

Summary

This commentary questions the idea that self-awareness is solely a right-brain function. Evidence suggests self-recognition may not fully represent self-awareness, challenging existing theories on hemispheric brain activity.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Psychology

Background:

The commentary evaluates the claim that self-awareness originates from right hemispheric activity.
This claim is based on the assumption that self-recognition is a valid measure of self-awareness.

Discussion:

The author presents arguments challenging the direct link between self-recognition and self-awareness.
An examination of cited literature suggests potential bias in the analysis supporting the right-hemispheric theory.
Recent findings linking inner speech (left-hemispheric) to self-awareness are discussed.

Key Insights:

Self-recognition may not be a sufficient operationalization of self-awareness.
The analysis of evidence supporting a right-hemispheric basis for self-awareness is critically reviewed.
The role of left-hemispheric activity, specifically inner speech, in self-awareness is highlighted.

Outlook:

Further research is needed to clarify the neural correlates of self-awareness.
The findings suggest a more complex, potentially bilateral, neural basis for self-awareness than previously proposed.
This work encourages a re-evaluation of existing models of self-awareness and hemispheric specialization.