Five levels of self-awareness as they unfold early in life.
Abstract
When do children become aware of themselves as differentiated and unique entity in the world? When and how do they become self-aware? Based on some recent empirical evidence, 5 levels of self-awareness are presented and discussed as they chronologically unfold from the moment of birth to approximately 4-5 years of age. A natural history of children's developing self-awareness is proposed as well as a model of adult self-awareness that is informed by the dynamic of early development. Adult self-awareness is viewed as the dynamic flux between basic levels of consciousness that develop chronologically early in life.
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Recent studies emphasize the primary role of multisensory integration for body-awareness, over the role of memory of one's body appearance.
“In contrast, recent studies that investigated self-recognition of bodily movements across development [22] and the sense of body-ownership [23] emphasize the primary role of multisensory integration for body-awareness, over the role of memory of one’s body appearance.”
From The other in me: interpersonal multisensory stimulation changes the mental representation of the self (2012) · cites this paper as [22]
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- Authors
- Rochat, P.
- Affiliations
- Emory University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Rochat, Philippe
- ORCID
- Rochat, Philippe
- Venue
- Consciousness and Cognition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2003-12
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 717-731
- ISSN
- 1053-8100 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2159292304
- Cited by
- 560
- References
- 56
- Citations by year
- 2026: 24 · 2025: 33 · 2024: 36 · 2023: 34 · 2022: 50 · 2021: 42 · 2020: 42 · 2019: 38 · 2018: 34 · 2017: 25 · 2016: 25 · 2015: 23 · 2014: 19 · 2013: 18 · 2012: 22
- FWCI
- 10.35
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Consciousness and Cognition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Philosophy and Theoretical Science
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
- Keywords
- self-awareness, self-concept, child development, early childhood, consciousness, developmental stages
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Awareness, Body Image, Psychology, Child, Child, Preschool, Consciousness, Ego, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Interpersonal Relations, Kinesthesis, Proprioception, Social Perception, Touch, Personal Construct Theory
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