A systematic review investigating the link between social cognition and self-awareness in adults

Social cognition, encompassing the mental processes involved in perceiving, interpreting, and responding to social information, remains a complex domain to model, particularly when considered in relation to self-awareness. As social cognition requires awareness of others, effective self-awareness is often assumed to be crucial for this process. Yet, the role of self-awareness in social cognition is still debated. This systematic review investigates the link between social cognition and self-awareness in adult populations. Following a PRISMA-guided literature search, 8,973 articles were identified, and 192 were selected for full-text screening. Eighty-eight studies met the inclusion criteria, which required quantifying at least one social cognitive process and one self-awareness component and exploring their relationship in healthy adults or patients with neurological or psychiatric conditions. Most studies focused on theory of mind, emotion recognition, and empathy, with insight and metacognition being the primary self-awareness dimensions explored. Theory of mind was most commonly linked to insight, while emotion recognition and empathy were associated with metacognition. Results varied depending on the cognitive processes studied, the population examined, and the methods employed. Notably, stronger correlations were observed when objective measures of self-awareness were used compared to subjective ones. Results point toward a potential bidirectional relationship. However, methodological heterogeneity, including variations in tools, constructs, and statistical analyses, may account for some conflicting findings. This systematic review emphasizes the need for integrative models, refined methodologies, and further research in underrepresented populations.