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Related Concept Videos

The Sense of Self: Reflected Self-Appraisal and Social Comparison02:57

The Sense of Self: Reflected Self-Appraisal and Social Comparison

According to Charles Cooley, we base our image on what we think other people see (Cooley 1902). We imagine how we must appear to others, then react to this speculation. We don certain clothes, prepare our hair in a particular manner, wear makeup, use cologne, and the like—all with the notion that our presentation of ourselves is going to affect how others perceive us. We expect a certain reaction, and, if lucky, we get the one we desire and feel good about it. But more than that, Cooley...
Self-Schemas02:16

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In general, a schema is a mental construct consisting of a cluster or collection of related concepts (Bartlett, 1932). There are many different types of schemata, and they all have one thing in common: schemata are a method of organizing information that allows the brain to work more efficiently. When a schema is activated, the brain makes immediate assumptions about the person or object being observed.
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification03:00

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Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Perceptual and Category Processing of the Uncanny Valley Hypothesis' Dimension of Human Likeness: Some Methodological Issues
07:34

Perceptual and Category Processing of the Uncanny Valley Hypothesis' Dimension of Human Likeness: Some Methodological Issues

Published on: June 3, 2013

Mirror self-recognition beyond the face.

Mark Nielsen1, Thomas Suddendorf, Virginia Slaughter

  • 1University of Queensland, Australia. nielsen@psy.uq.edu.au

Child Development
|February 8, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Toddlers aged 18-24 months can pass the mark test of self-recognition by touching stickers on their bodies, not just their faces. This indicates self-recognition is not limited to facial features in young children.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Cognitive Development
  • Child Psychology

Background:

  • The mark test is a key measure for assessing self-recognition in infants and toddlers.
  • Previous research has primarily focused on facial self-recognition, leaving understanding of body self-recognition less developed.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether toddlers aged 18 and 24 months can pass the mark test of self-recognition when marks are placed on their bodies.
  • To explore the role of visual expectations in toddlers' performance on the mark test.

Main Methods:

  • Three studies involved 144 toddlers aged 18 and 24 months.
  • Toddlers were surreptitiously marked with stickers on their faces and legs, with visibility contingent on mirror reflection.
  • Study 2 involved disguised leg marks, while Study 3 included pre-exposure to disguised body parts.

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Creating Virtual-hand and Virtual-face Illusions to Investigate Self-representation
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A Modified Mirror Test as a Visual Guide for the Self-awareness Trait in Wild Antarctica Penguins, Pygoscelis adeliae
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A Modified Mirror Test as a Visual Guide for the Self-awareness Trait in Wild Antarctica Penguins, Pygoscelis adeliae

Published on: July 8, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Perceptual and Category Processing of the Uncanny Valley Hypothesis' Dimension of Human Likeness: Some Methodological Issues
07:34

Perceptual and Category Processing of the Uncanny Valley Hypothesis' Dimension of Human Likeness: Some Methodological Issues

Published on: June 3, 2013

Creating Virtual-hand and Virtual-face Illusions to Investigate Self-representation
06:53

Creating Virtual-hand and Virtual-face Illusions to Investigate Self-representation

Published on: March 1, 2017

A Modified Mirror Test as a Visual Guide for the Self-awareness Trait in Wild Antarctica Penguins, Pygoscelis adeliae
04:51

A Modified Mirror Test as a Visual Guide for the Self-awareness Trait in Wild Antarctica Penguins, Pygoscelis adeliae

Published on: July 8, 2025

Main Results:

  • Toddlers did not show differential rates of touching stickers on legs versus faces in Study 1.
  • Toddlers failed to touch disguised stickers on their legs in Study 2.
  • Equivalent sticker touching on legs and faces occurred after brief exposure to disguised body parts in Study 3.

Conclusions:

  • Toddlers' ability to pass the mark test is based on their visual expectations of their own appearance.
  • Self-recognition in toddlers extends beyond facial features to encompass body parts.
  • These findings challenge the notion that self-recognition is solely face-centric in early development.