Abstract
Self is difficult to define because of its multiple, constitutive streams of functional existence. A more comprehensive and expanded definition of self is proposed. The standard bio-psycho-social model of psyche is expanded to biophysical-mental-social and existential self. The total human experience is better understood and explained by adding the existential component. Existential refers to lived human experience, which is firmly rooted in reality. Existential living is the capacity to live fully in the present, and respond freely and flexibly to new experience without fear. Four common fears of isolation, insecurity, insignificance, and death can be overcome by developing a lifestyle of whole-hearted engagement in the present reality, creative problem solving, self-actualization, and altruism. Such integrative living creates a sense of presence with self-awareness, understanding, and existential well-being. Well-being is defined as a life of happiness, contentment, low distress, and good health with positive outlook. Self is a complex, integrative process of living organisms. It organizes, coordinates, and integrates energy-information within and around itself, spontaneously, unconsciously, and consciously. Self-process is understood in terms of synergetics, coordination dynamics, and energy-information–directed self-organization. It is dynamic, composite, ever renewing, and enduring. It can be convergent or divergent, and can function as the source or target of its own behavior-mentation. The experience of self is continuously generated by spontaneous activation of neural networks in the cerebral neocortex by the brainstem-diencephalic arousal system. The multiple constitutive behavioral-mental streams develop concurrently into a unique experience of self, specific for a person at his/her developmental stage. The chronological neuro-behavioral-mental development of self is described in detail from embryonic stage to old age. Self can be behaviorally-mentally oriented and realized in three complimentary modes of being: egocentric, allocentric, and ecosystemic or existential. The existential mode is both immanent and transcendent, and can be self-actualized, resulting in a healthy, creative, conflict-free, and meaningful life.
Highlights
The human sense of self is hard to define since the word has so many connotations
The Dictionary of Psychology[1] defines the word “self” as the totality of the individual, consisting of all characteristic attributes, conscious and unconscious, mental and physical. It refers to personal identity, being, and experience
A person can refer to self either as the source of its agency for regulation of behavior, or as the target of perception-cognition-action
Summary
The human sense of self is hard to define since the word has so many connotations. The Dictionary of Psychology[1] defines the word “self” as the totality of the individual, consisting of all characteristic attributes, conscious and unconscious, mental and physical. Maslow defined self-actualization as “an episode in which powers of the person come together in an efficient and enjoyable way and in which he was more integrated and open to experience, more spontaneous and expressive, fully functioning, more creative, humorous, more ego-transcending, and more independent of his/her lower needs. The authors describe three processing streams of the minimal self: (a) interoception maps the body states into consciousness, probably mediated by a neural network connecting insula, amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex, and the orbitofrontal cortex; (b) exteroception maps the external reality relying on bilateral, fronto-cingulo-parietal, spatial inputs, the attentional matrix is processed predominantly in the right parietal cortex; and (c) phrenoception or representations of spontaneous mental thoughts and acts are probably mediated by a default mode network Such undirected, spontaneous brain network includes dorso- and ventromedial prefrontal cortex, paracingulate region, posterior cingulate/precuneus, lateral posterior parietal cortex, and the hippocampi. These responses decrease after several repetitions, which is a sign of learning by habituation
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