introspection

(noun)

A looking inward; the act or process of self-examination, or inspection of one's own thoughts and feelings; the cognition which the mind has of its own acts and states; self-consciousness.

Related Terms

(noun)

A looking inward; the act or process of self-examination, or inspection of one's own thoughts and feelings; the cognition that the mind has of its own acts and states; self-consciousness.

Related Terms

Examples of introspection in the following topics:

  • Early Frameworks: Structuralism and Functionalism

    • Similar to Wundt, the main tool that Titchener used to try and determine the different components of consciousness was introspection.
    • Unlike Wundt's method of introspection, however, Titchener had very strict guidelines for the reporting of an introspective analysis.
    • Its reliance on introspection, despite Titchener's rigid guidelines, was criticized for its lack of reliability.
    • Critics argued that self-analysis is not feasible, and that introspection can yield different results depending on the subject.
    • Structuralism's reliance of introspection eventually proved unscientific.

  • Early Roots of Psychology

    • This approach is still used today in modern neuroscience research; however, many scientists criticize the use of introspection for its lack of objectivity.
    • Like Wundt, Titchener used introspection to try to determine the different components of consciousness; however, his method used very strict guidelines for the reporting of an introspective analysis.
    • Its reliance on introspection, despite Titchener's rigid guidelines, was criticized for its lack of reliability.
    • Critics argued that self-analysis is not feasible, and that introspection could yield different results depending on the subject.
    • Structuralism's reliance on introspection eventually proved unscientific.

  • Cognitive Development in Adolescence

    • Metacognition is relevant in social cognition and results in increased introspection, self-consciousness, and intellectualization.
    • Being able to introspect may lead to two forms of egocentrism, or self-focus, in adolescents, which result in two distinct problems in thinking: the imaginary audience (when an adolescent believes everyone is listening to him or her) and the personal fable (which causes adolescents to feel that nothing harmful could ever happen to them).

  • Cognitive Psychology

    • It accepts the use of the scientific method and generally rejects introspection as a valid method of investigation, unlike phenomenological methods such as Freudian psychoanalysis.

  • History of Cognition

    • Wundt believed that scientific psychology should focus on introspection, or analysis of the contents of one's own mind and experience.

  • General Strengths and Limitations of Trait Perspectives

    • Self-report measures require that an individual be introspective enough to understand their own behavior.

  • The Brain and Personality

    • The third type of data was questionnaire data which involves gathering responses based on introspection by the individual about their own behavior and feelings.

  • Allport's, Cattell's, and Eysenck's Trait Theories of Personality

    • Experimental data involves measuring reactions to standardized experimental situations, and questionnaire data involves gathering responses based on introspection by an individual about his or her own behavior and feelings.

  • Decision Making

    • Subjects in these experiments lack introspective awareness of the heuristic—that is, they deny that the anchor affected their estimates.