Synonyms
Definition
Self-reflection has several definitions based on specific theories and scales reported to measure the concept. However, most agree that self-reflection is time spent in introspection, with attention placed on the self-concept.
Introduction
Psychologists and nonpsychologists use the term self-reflection to refer to at least four phenomena. The most common use of the term is the equivalent of self-awareness – self-reflection is examining the self through attention placed on the self-concept. A quick PsychINFO database search reveals around 200 articles using the term self-reflection in this way. In 1984, the term “self-reflection” became the name given to a type of private self-consciousness (Burnkrant and Page 1984). More recently, Trapnell and Campbell (1999) introduced rumination and reflection as an alternative bifurcation of private self-awareness. Last, Grant et al. (2002) proposed a scale also related to private...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Burnkrant, R. E., & Page, T. J. (1984). A modification of the Fenigstein, Scheier, and Buss self-consciousness scales. Journal of Personality Assessment, 48, 629–637.
Costa, P. T., Jr., & McCrae, R. R. (1985). The NEO personality inventory manual. Odessa: Psychological Assessment Resourses.
Fenigstein, A., Scheier, M. F., & Buss, A. H. (1975). Public and private self-consciousness: Assessment and theory. Journal of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, 43, 522–527.
Grant, A. M., Franklin, J., & Langford, P. (2002). The self-reflection and insight scale: A new measure of private self-consciousness. Social Behavior and Personality, 30, 821–836.
Harrington, R., & Loffredo, D. A. (2010). Insight, rumination, and self-reflection as predictors of well-being. The Journal of Psychology: Interdisciplinary and Applied, 145, 39–57.
Lyke, J. A. (2009). Insight, but not self-reflection, is related to subjective well-being. Personality and Individual Differences, 46, 66–70.
Silvia, P. J., & Phillips, A. G. (2011). Evaluating self-reflection and insight as self-conscious traits. Personality and Individual Differences, 50, 234–237.
Silvia, P. J., Eichstaedt, J., & Phillips, A. G. (2004). Are rumination and reflection types of self-focused attention? Personality and Individual Differences, 38, 871–881.
Simsek, G. F. (2013). Self absorption paradox is not a paradox: Illuminating the dark side of self-reflection. International Journal of Psychology, 48, 1109–1121.
Trapnell, P. D., & Campbell, J. D. (1999). Private self-consciousness and the five factor model of personality: Distinguishing rumination from reflection. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76, 284–304.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Section Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
Phillips, A.G. (2017). Self-Reflection. In: Zeigler-Hill, V., Shackelford, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1178-1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1178-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-28099-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-28099-8
eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences