self and identity - final review Flashcards
how did the self evolve? what evidence do we have of this?
- human minds became larger and more complex over time, leading to more sophisticated developments
- development of self-awareness, theory of mind, mental time travel, consciousness
- allows us to be adaptive + survive: rational thinking, culture, morality, meaning + purpose
- 300,000 years ago: improved tools (stone, bone, shell), simple clothes
- 100,000: shell jewelry, ochre blocks
- 50,000: burying the dead, clothing, complex tools, tribes, ceremonies
- 37,000: cave paintings
what are the implications of our notions of the self for moral responsibility?
- theory of mind is a crucial part for developing moral responsibility; social-cognitive skill
- beginnings of theory of mind around age 3; taking turns, concern for others, make believe
- morality develops around age 5; perspective taking, pleasing others
- identity formation (13-20); increased empathy and abstract moral reasoning
- social morals: empathy, sympathy, internalized morals, other-focused, reputation
- learning the rules
- inclusive fitness (survival of related others)
- reciprocal altruism (helping others and being helped)
self-awareness, theory of mind, and mental time travel have been recurring concepts in this class. discuss what we know about these ideas by integrating and synthesizing what you have learned about these three concepts
- self-awareness: simulating our own minds; age 2
-identity formation, knowing of the self, free will, choice, control, aspirations, motives, desires - theory of mind: simulating others’ minds; age 3,5
-perspective-taking, predict + interpret others’ behaviors, moral reasoning - mental time travel: simulating the past and future; age 4
-plan for the future, set goals, learning from mistakes, imagining impact on others, motivation
automatic and controlled processes have been recurring themes in this class. discuss these two concepts by integrating and synthesizing what you have learned across the semester about these and how they relate to the self
- automatic: biological mechanisms that do not require active operation; hardwired
-breathing, blinking, attention, emotions, eating, perception
-habits: walking, driving, tying shoes, talking
-do not require cognitive resources - controlled: conscious and active action
-working memory, active recall, decision making, voluntary movements, planning - the self has free will and some control
discuss what we know about the development of self-awareness, theory of mind, and mental time travel
what are some of the disadvantages of groups? discuss each of these in relation to self-awareness and theory of mind
- groupthink: agreeing blindly with the group
-hinders creativity and independence
-hinders self-awareness; not making your own choices
-interpreting what others think or believe, what you should believe to fit in
-having weak beliefs/morals - free-riders: injustice of people manipulating or taking from us
-aware of your contributions, aware of problem
-believing someone is doing it maliciously - outgroup violence: group oriented, causes us to attack others
-aware of who is in the group
-attacking before they attack us - us vs. them:
describe how disorders inform us about self, theory of mind, and mental time travel. include multiple examples
- disorders are evolutionary adaptations for survival
-anxiety: fear helped keep us alive
-adhd: better for hunting and survival, hyperactivity
-depression: forces you to think about self, purpose, life - disorders can lead to loss of the self (dementia)
based on everything you have learned in this class, what do you think are the essential elements for living a life of meaning, purpose, and happiness?
- relationships are crucial to happiness
- service to others; selflessness
- having money
- having goals and achieving them
- being here and now, mindful
what are the adaptive advantages of the self? what are the disadvantages? in what ways can mindfulness practice help us with the disadvantages?
- advantages:
