A Psychology of Self: Life Beneath the Gaze.

The centrality of self to both intrapsychic life and behavior seems indisputable to introspection, yet its psychological status remains uncertain. In some accounts self is no more than an epiphenomenon, while in others it is a pivotal motivator of behavior. In this monograph a psychology of self is outlined where, in consonance with introspection, self is conceptualized to lie at the very heart of psychological development. Self is here thought to be a social, interactive phenomenon, deriving its content from the fantasies of interaction, and depending upon at least the imagined apprehension of other. The earliest experience of self is anxiety-ridden, as self feels threatened with loss of content and thus extinction. Successful development entails above all the establishment of solid, enduring content. Conflict is present from the start, as painful emotions such as shame are inevitable concomitants of the self development process. Self first arrives on the scene near the end of the first year, precipitating a major qualitative change in the infant, who for the first time becomes capable of conscious experience. At that point self assumes a position as core and unifier of the psyche, and all psychological functions come under its aegis, perception and memory no less than personality. The cognitive-developmental, affective, and psychoanalytic literatures are explored to establish the viability of this thesis. Subsequently, the autobiographical writings of Jean-Jacques Rousseau are examined at length in illustration of the entire theory of self development. Taken as a whole, the present conceptualization offers a synthesis of literatures and data that have traditionally remained distinct. It also provides an alternative to psychoanalytic theory, while respecting the observations and the clinical method that are central to the psychoanalytic enterprise.PhDEducational psychologyUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/159683/1/8402222.pd