Self-Awarenes

Question 1

Define self-awareness

Answer 1

the ability to reflect on one’s traits, beliefs, abilities and attitudes

Question 2

Describe the 2 types of self-awareness

Answer 2

• Self-generated: own’s inner voice

* Stimuli generated: what people say about us (reacting to someone else’s voice)

Question 3

Explain the mirror test, and which animals made it successfully

Answer 3

• Place red spot on an animal’s body and place them in front of a mirror to determine if they know that the spot is on themselves
  
  • Chimpanzees, elephants, dolphins and fish were able to recognize their body
  • Humans aged 2+ y.o too

Question 4

Name criticisms of the mirror test

Answer 4

• Not providing full picture of what is required to have self-awareness
• Not adapted to animals whose vision is not their primary sense (ex: dogs)
○ An olfactory version was made for species such as dogs

Question 5

Name the 4 main cortical midline structures heavily involved in self-awareness

Answer 5

• orbitomedial prefrontal cortex (OMPFC)
  
  • dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC)
  • anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)
  • posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)

Question 6

Define self-referential stimuli

Answer 6

perceived as being related to one’s self

Question 7

Name each part of the brain involved in self-awareness and its role in the process

Answer 7

• OMPFC: representation of self-referential stimuli (attributing skills, talents, attributes to oneself)
  
  • DMPFC: evaluating stimuli as to whether they are internally or externally generated
  • ACC: monitoring and controlling one’s actions (ability to override habitual responses)
  • PCC: integration of attitudes, goals, traits into a unified concept of self

Question 8

Name the 3 extra parts of the brain involved in self-awareness

Answer 8

Right temporoparietal junction
Right temporoparietal cortex
Extrastriate body area: in occipitoparietal area

Question 9

Name the roles of each of the 3 extra brain parts of self-awareness

Answer 9

• Right temporoparietal junction: sense of agency
  
  • Right temporoparietal cortex: body ownership
  • Extrastriate body area: in occipitoparietal area: when people are shown body parts, recognize ourselves in a mirror or fellow human beings

Question 10

Define autobiographical memory

Answer 10

info that people remember and which is essential to their perception of self
• Helps to put memories in the right context

Question 11

Name the brain regions involved in autobiographical memory

Answer 11

Left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and posterior cingulate cortex