An evolutionary view of self-awareness.

Behav Processes

Department of Psychology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), Brazil; Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom. Electronic address:

Published: January 2022

The capacity to be self-aware is regarded as a fundamental difference between humans and other species. However, growing evidence challenges this notion, indicating that many animals show complex signs and behaviors that are consonant with self-awareness. In this review, we suggest that many animals are indeed self-aware, but that the complexity of this process differs among species. We discuss this topic by addressing several different questions regarding self-awareness: what is self-awareness, how has self-awareness been studied experimentally, which species may be self-aware, what are its potential adaptive advantages. We conclude by proposing alternative models for the emergence of self-awareness in relation to species evolutionary paths, indicating future research questions to advance this field further.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104543DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

self-awareness self-awareness
8
self-awareness
6
evolutionary view
4
view self-awareness
4
self-awareness capacity
4
capacity self-aware
4
self-aware regarded
4
regarded fundamental
4
fundamental difference
4
difference humans
4

Similar Publications

Telerehabilitation is a new form of care that provides digital access to rehabilitative services. However, it places many demands on the users-both patients and therapists. The aim of this study was to determine the requirements and competencies needed for successful usage, identify person- and context-specific differences and develop a competency model.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The Cognitive Function Index (CFI) is a validated test used to assess changes in self-perceived cognitive and functional status as reported by an individual and their study partner. Previous studies have demonstrated an inverse correlation between higher amyloid-beta (Aβ) burden and CFI, with certain CFI items exhibiting stronger associations than others. However, there is limited understanding of the association between declines in cognition and function, as assessed by CFI, and Tau levels measured by PET.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Financial exploitation vulnerability (FEV) denotes the risk for falling victim to financial fraud and older adults reportedly lose an estimated $36 billion annually to scams. Socioemotional and cognitive impairments are potential risk factors for FEV in older adults with dementia. The present study examines whether the socioemotional measures of sensitivity to unfairness and self-unawareness of socioemotional dysfunction and brain atrophy are associated with increased risk for FEV in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Self-awareness of declining cognition in the absence of objective cognitive impairment is called subjective cognitive decline (SCD). Herein, we examine the association of SCD measured by the Cognitive Function Index (CFI; Amariglio, et al. 2015) with the Stages of Objective Memory Impairment (SOMI) system (Grober, et al.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: The prevalence of substance use among young adults has been increasing in Turkiye. Probation as a form of execution continues to grow in popularity around the world, as it has the potential for more successful outcomes than closed institutional execution methods. However, in the face of changing societal and individual needs, the probation system must rapidly adapt to current public realities, especially with new approaches, including the use of purposeful physical movement for young adults who are obliged due to illegal substance use.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!