Introduction
Self-awareness is the ability to recognize and understand one’s own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Self-awareness theory is a framework that explains how people use their internal standards and self-evaluation to understand their behavior and make changes to their self-concept. This theory has been studied in various fields, including psychology, sociology, and leadership. In this article, we will provide an overview of self-awareness theory, its components, and its applications in different contexts.
Components of Self-Awareness Theory
Self-awareness theory consists of two components: private self-awareness and public self-awareness. Private self-awareness is the ability to focus on internal thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Public self-awareness, on the other hand, is the ability to focus on external aspects, such as appearance and behavior, and how they are perceived by others.
Self-awareness theory proposes that when people become self-aware, they compare their behavior to their internal standards and values. This comparison can lead to changes in behavior or self-concept, which can be positive or negative depending on the perceived gap between their behavior and internal standards.
Applications of Self-Awareness Theory
Self-awareness theory has been applied to various contexts, such as antinormative behavior, cognitive consequences, and leadership. In the following paragraphs, we will discuss some of these applications in more detail.
Antinormative Behavior
One of the earliest studies on self-awareness theory examined the effects of self-awareness on antinormative behavior (Diener & Wallbom, 1976). Antinormative behavior refers to behavior that violates social norms or rules. The study found that when people were made self-aware through a mirror, they were less likely to engage in antinormative behavior compared to those who were not self-aware. This study suggests that self-awareness can act as a deterrent to antinormative behavior.
Cognitive Consequences
Another study on self-awareness theory examined the cognitive consequences of self-awareness (Geller & Shaver, 1976). The study found that when people were made self-aware through a mirror, they had higher levels of cognitive complexity compared to those who were not self-aware. Cognitive complexity refers to the ability to consider multiple perspectives and to think in a more nuanced way. This study suggests that self-awareness can enhance cognitive abilities.
Leadership
Self-awareness theory has also been applied to leadership. Taylor (2010) proposed a redefinition of leader self-awareness by integrating the second component of self-awareness, public self-awareness. Taylor argued that leader self-awareness should not only focus on internal thoughts and emotions but also on how their behavior is perceived by others. This redefinition of self-awareness can help leaders understand how their behavior affects others and how they can improve their leadership skills.
Criticism
While self-awareness theory has been studied in various contexts, it also has some limitations and criticisms. One criticism of self-awareness theory is that it focuses too much on the individual and ignores social and cultural factors that can influence self-awareness. For example, cultural norms and expectations can shape how people view themselves and their behavior. Another criticism is that self-awareness theory assumes that people have a clear and stable self-concept, which may not always be the case (Silvia & Duval, 2001).
Furthermore, self-awareness theory has been criticized for its lack of specificity in terms of how people compare their behavior to their internal standards. For example, Hull and Levy (1979) proposed an alternative model of self-awareness that suggests that people can compare their behavior to external standards or to the behavior of others. The organizational functions of the self, as proposed by Hull and Levy, may be influenced by situational factors, such as social norms or group dynamics (Hull & Levy, 1979).
Finally, self-awareness theory has been compared to similar models, such as self-perception theory (Taylor, 2010). Self-perception theory proposes that people infer their attitudes and beliefs from their behavior, rather than having a pre-existing internal standard to compare themselves against. However, despite its limitations, the self-awareness theory remains an important and influential framework for understanding the role of self-awareness in human behavior and cognitive processing, and it continues to inspire research and theoretical development in the field of social psychology.
References
Diener, E., & Wallbom, M. (1976). Effects of self-awareness on antinormative behavior. Journal of Research in Personality, 10(1), 107–111. https://doi.org/10.1016/0092-6566(76)90088-x
Geller, V., & Shaver, P. R. (1976). Cognitive consequences of self-awareness. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 12(1), 99–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1031(76)90089-5
Hull, J. G., & Levy, A. V. (1979). The organizational functions of the self: An alternative to the Duval and Wicklund Model of self-awareness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37(5), 756–768. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.37.5.756
Silvia, P. J., & Duval, T. S. (2001). Objective Self-Awareness Theory: Recent Progress and Enduring Problems. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 5(3), 230–241. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327957pspr0503_4
Taylor, S. (2010). Redefining leader self-awareness by integrating the second component of self-awareness. Journal of Leadership Studies, 3(4), 57–68. https://doi.org/10.1002/jls.20139