In search of a common basis for the diversity of approaches to the study of reflection in psychology

Abstract

The article attempts to find a basis for combining a large number of currently existing concepts of reflection in psychology. Today, there is an awareness of the importance of the role of reflection in our knowledge of the world around us, but there is no sufficiently clear definition that would most consistently express its essence and contribute to the unification of the entire variety of existing approaches to the study of reflection. The article suggests that this state of affairs is largely due to the long-standing philosophical tradition of contrasting the subjective reality of a person with the outside world. The influence of this philosophical tradition is also felt in attempts to scientifically describe reflection. It is traditionally understood as the ability to think about our thoughts and is contrasted with human sensations and perceptions. It is assumed that this approach can and should be questioned, since it contributes to the creation of a large number of disparate concepts. It can be concluded that there are no separate, independent processes of cognition of the external and internal worlds, but there is a single process of constructing our consciousness, in which reflection always participates.