Eighty phenomena about the self: representation, evaluation, regulation, and change

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Sociology

Background:

• The self is a complex construct studied across various disciplines.
• Existing research often lacks a unified framework for categorizing self-related phenomena.
• Understanding the multifaceted nature of the self requires integrating multiple levels of analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel, comprehensive approach for examining self-related phenomena.
• To introduce a taxonomy categorizing approximately eighty self-related phenomena.
• To emphasize the importance of multiple levels of interacting mechanisms in understanding the self.

Main Methods:

• Development of a taxonomy for self-related phenomena based on three primary functions: representing, effecting, and changing.
• Application of a multi-level analytical framework, considering social, individual, neural, and molecular mechanisms.
• Illustration of the proposed approach through the examination of seven specific self-related phenomena.

Main Results:

• The proposed taxonomy effectively categorizes diverse self-related phenomena.
• The multi-level mechanism approach provides a richer understanding of self-processes.
• The framework demonstrates applicability across various self-related aspects, from self-concept to self-development.

Conclusions:

• The presented approach offers a structured and integrated way to study the self.
• This framework facilitates interdisciplinary research on self-related phenomena.
• Future research can utilize this taxonomy and multi-level analysis for deeper insights into the self.