Self-Consciousness and Self-Awareness: Associations between Stable and Transitory Levels of Evidence

Abstract

The theory of objective self-awareness predicts the assessment of stable or dispositional self-consciousness and transitory or situational self-awareness. The aim of the present research was to investigate potential associations between patterns of experiential self-description to scores on self-report measures of dispositional self-consciousness. A total of 64 Brazilian volunteers (Mage = 29.7, SD = 8.79, 64.1% female) responded to the Revised Self-Consciousness Scale, the Philadelphia Mindfulness Scale, and the Rumination–Reflection Questionnaire before participating in an experience sampling protocol. The protocol consisted of random daily requests for up to four self-description experiences across seven consecutive days. Participants recorded audio messages on their mobile phones in reply to each request describing their current experience. Reports were analyzed through a reflexive thematic analysis that produced twenty sub-themes accounting for descriptive markers of experience. Based on those descriptive markers, the qualitative data were then transformed into quantitative data for the situational self-awareness indexes. Evidence of association between self-consciousness and self-awareness was stronger for the awareness subscale in a positive correlation with affective situational self-awareness and in a negative correlation with mental representational transitory self-awareness. Although relational evidence has been provided, the data reinforced the theoretical distinction between self-consciousness and self-awareness.

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“…Self-awareness theory expanded with Duval and Wicklund's (1972) book, A Theory of Objective Self-Awareness, where the authors offer that when we focus our attention on ourselves, we evaluate and compare our current behavior to our internal standards and values, which elicits a state of objective self-awareness (Duval & Wicklund, 1972; P á g i n a 6785 Silvia & Duval, 2001). On the surface, self-awareness correlates to self-consciousness as they both involve recognizing and understanding oneself, but they have distinct meanings (Majolo et al, 2023). Majolo et al (2023) expand on the understanding of self-awareness and self-consciousness in the article, Self-consciousness, and Self-awareness: Associations between Stable and Transitory Levels of Evidence, offering that self-consciousness and self-awareness are related concepts that involve the recognition and understanding of oneself but caution that they should not be confused as selfconsciousness focuses on appearance, behavior, or performance in social situations (Majolo et al, 2023).…”

“…On the surface, self-awareness correlates to self-consciousness as they both involve recognizing and understanding oneself, but they have distinct meanings (Majolo et al, 2023). Majolo et al (2023) expand on the understanding of self-awareness and self-consciousness in the article, Self-consciousness, and Self-awareness: Associations between Stable and Transitory Levels of Evidence, offering that self-consciousness and self-awareness are related concepts that involve the recognition and understanding of oneself but caution that they should not be confused as selfconsciousness focuses on appearance, behavior, or performance in social situations (Majolo et al, 2023). Self-awareness goes beyond the surface-level awareness of oneself that self-consciousness entails involving a more comprehensive understanding and insight into identity.…”

“…In contrast, selfconsciousness tends to focus more on perception in specific moments or contexts. The distinction between self-awareness and self-consciousness is important when studying the effects of interventions aimed at improving emotional intelligence and well-being, as self-awareness can be developed through self-exploration and social experiences, broadening one's social world toward becoming more familiar with the self (Majolo et al, 2023).…”