PSYCHOLOGY Concepts and Theories: Self-observation in Psychology

Self-observation is a generally adaptive strategy for managing internal conflicts or coping with external sources of distress by assessing the effectiveness of their behaviour and making modifications to better adapt to a situation.

When the self-observation is fairly accurate, the person may experience personal growth and lowered levels of distress.

Self-observation is a Level 7 Defense Mechanism.

Quote from research

Results indicate that ss who self-observed study behavior achieved significantly higher grades, during the latter part of the academic term, than the unaccepted volunteers. Ss in the dating group achieved higher grades than the control group and lower grades than the study group but these differences were not significant. Findings suggest that self-observation procedures may often be reactive and that this reactivity may be successfully used as an agent for behavior change. (Johnson & White, 1971)

Cite this post

Sutton, G. W. (2023, January 9). Self-observation in psychology. Psychology Concepts and Theories. Retrieved from https://suttonpsychology.blogspot.com/2023/01/self-observation-in-psychology.html

Research Reference

Johnson, S. M., & White, G. (1971). Self-observation as an agent of behavioral change. Behavior Therapy, 2(4), 488–497. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7894(71)80095-3

Related Resources

A- Z List of Defense Mechanisms with descriptions

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Geoffrey W. Sutton, PhD is Emeritus Professor of Psychology. He retired from a clinical practice and was credentialed in clinical neuropsychology and psychopharmacology. His website is www.suttong.com

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