The Interprocessual-Self Theory in Support of Human Neuroscience Studies

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Philosophy

Background:

• Ethical growth is intrinsically linked to interpersonal relationships (IRs), requiring integrated cognitive, emotional, and psychological processes.
• Current research often studies these processes in isolation, hindering a holistic understanding of personal development.
• A need exists for theoretical frameworks that integrate diverse psychological aspects for studying human growth in IRs.

Purpose of the Study:

• Introduce the Interprocessual-self (IPS) framework to holistically consider neuroscientific findings related to personal growth.
• Provide a neuroscientific basis for understanding the integration of cognitive, emotional, and ethical processes in IRs.
• Explore how self-knowledge, integration, and agency contribute to personal growth within interpersonal and social contexts.

Main Methods:

• Review and synthesize neuroscientific data supporting the interrelation between personal virtue in IRs and cognitive, emotional, and ethic-moral processes.
• Develop and apply the Interprocessual-self (IPS) model to explain neuroscientific findings on self-knowledge, integration, and agency.
• Analyze the integration of interpersonal and social contextual levels in relationships.

Main Results:

• Ethical growth and personal development are fostered through optimally functioning cognitive (e.g., attention, memory, inhibition) and emotional (e.g., empathy, motivation) processes within IRs.
• The IPS model offers a holistic perspective on neuroscientific findings concerning self-knowledge, integration, and agency, crucial for inner exploration and relating to others.
• The framework elucidates how interpersonal dynamics and broader social contexts intertwine to shape personal growth.

Conclusions:

• The Interprocessual-self (IPS) framework provides a novel, integrated approach to understanding personal and ethical growth within interpersonal relationships.
• Neuroscientific evidence supports the integration of cognitive, emotional, and psychological processes for enhanced personal constitution and ethical engagement.
• This holistic perspective moves beyond reductionist views, offering a richer understanding of human development in relational and social contexts.